I *FINALLY* wrote my mail to Kathleen Parker...

[WillParkinson]

Last month she did a column on how gays and lesbians didn't need to 'marry'. How there were plenty of other options available to them and they didn't need marriage. So I finally got up enough guts to write her:

Dear Ms. Parker,

For a while I have been toying with the idea of writing to you regarding the column that you penned about gay marriage. In it you stated that there were a number of options available to gay and lesbian couples instead of insisting on marriage. I must admit I am curious about those.

What kind of option is there that will guarantee my significant other will be allowed to collect on my Social Security benefits? Or, how about the money we'd save if we file as a married couple?

How about insurance? Many companies DO allow for same-sex partners to be covered by one or the others insurance but many more do not.

Which option allows him the right to my property should something happen to me and I don't have a will made out? Or, even if I have a will, who will likely benefit in the event that my family decides to contest that will?

While it may be easy for you to sit there and talk about what gays and lesbians have available to them please remember that for every victory won there are many others lost or just as many that are challenged every day in court.

So please, Ms. Parker, come down to the real world. Believe me it's not all roses down here for gay and lesbian couples. My partner, spouse, significant other...whatever word you want to use...is just a roommate or a friend as far as local, state and federal government is concerned. That's all. Nothing else.

[MaineDem]

1. I find her very annoying

They carry her column in our Sunday paper occasionally. She freaks me out way too often.

Good letter!

[WillParkinson]

2. Thank you!

It was hard for me to come up with words to write the letter. Every time I tried I got sarcastic, rude or snippy and I didn't want to do that. I wanted to be 'better' than that. I hope I did it well enough to cause her to think but I won't hold my breath on that one.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

4. That is a great letter...And you didn't come across rude...

You are better than her because you aren't trying to tell anyone how to live their lives. I fully support gay marriage, and I'm so tired of these "I'm holier than you" politicians telling us how to live our lives. Fuck them. You need to follow your heart. Until you do get equality of all kinds, please find a great attorney to write you will so air tight, no one can contest it. That is the dumbest law ever. How can you go against the will of someone who's not here to take up for themselves.
Duckie

[newyawker99]

6. Congrats YellowRubberDuckie!! 300 posts

:toast:

[NightTrain]

3. Kathleen Parker is a twat

Oh, but in a nice way! ;-)

[WillParkinson]

5. Her lovely reply and my rebuttal...

Yes, and as I said, where they ARE available they are challenged in court and often times repealed. The federal government certainly isn't going to go on record as agreeing to gay civil unions because there is no way that Republicans (and some Democrats) could square this with their constituents.

So what options are, or can be, made available that will stand the test of time? It's very easy for people to say, "No" especially when they don't have any reason to say "yes".

----- Original Message -----
From: Kathleen Parker
To: Will
Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 4:52 PM
Subject: RE: Gay Marriage


I think I said I wasn't convinced when civil remedies are or can be made available.