Job Creators and Gay Marriage - why not?

I was in the middle of writing this blog when President Obama came out in favor of gay marriage.  I was a little bummed at the timing as I had hoped that this post would be the thing that convinced him.
I suspect he heard that I was writing it and that was probably enough for him......
The right re-branded rich people as "job creators". We should re-brand gay marriage. I suggest we refer to gay marriage as “How about granting basic human and civil rights to two people who are earnest and want to spend their lives together and are willing to legally bind that commitment union”. 
Like??? Kind of rolls off your tongue right?  So from now on I will refer to the re-branded term.

Recently North Carolina held a vote on amending their state constitution to banning “How about granting basic human and civ....Wait - that's going to be tough to type over and over.  We need an acronym - North Carolina passed the amendment banning HAGBHCRTTPWAEAWTSTLTAAWTLBTCU by a 60 – 40 margin.

Tami Fitzgerald, who heads the pro-amendment group Vote FOR Marriage NC, said "I think it sends a message to the rest of the country that marriage is between one man and one woman," Fitzgerald said at a celebration Tuesday night. "The whole point is simply that you don't rewrite the nature of God's design based on the demands of a group of adults."

I wonder if it ever occurred to people like Tami that gay people are part of God’s design.

According to Wikipedia  - In August 2010 a CNN poll became the first national poll to show majority support for same-sex marriage, with numerous polls after it showing majority support.

Marriage is no longer a social convention nor a religious one.  It may have started that way but it has evolved.  There are civil right, tax implications.  It has serious implications for two people who are in love and wish to be together. You should take a moment and view the video link below.  It’s a story that needs to be shared – it’s a terrible illustration of what happens when you don’t have protection under the law.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pR9gyloyOjM

In case you are wondering exactly what rights you are granted in marriage, you might want to read the following courtesy of     http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/marriage-rights-benefits-30190.html

Tax Benefits

• Filing joint income tax returns with the IRS and state taxing authorities.
• Creating a "family partnership" under federal tax laws, which allows you to divide business income among family members.

Estate Planning Benefits

• Inheriting a share of your spouse's estate.
• Receiving an exemption from both estate taxes and gift taxes for all property you give or leave to your spouse.
• Creating life estate trusts that are restricted to married couples, including QTIP trusts, QDOT trusts, and marital deduction trusts.
• Obtaining priority if a conservator needs to be appointed for your spouse -- that is, someone to make financial and/or medical decisions on your spouse's behalf.

Government Benefits

• Receiving Social Security, Medicare, and disability benefits for spouses.
• Receiving veterans' and military benefits for spouses, such as those for education, medical care, or special loans.
• Receiving public assistance benefits.

Employment Benefits

• Obtaining insurance benefits through a spouse's employer.
• Taking family leave to care for your spouse during an illness.
• Receiving wages, workers' compensation, and retirement plan benefits for a deceased spouse.
• Taking bereavement leave if your spouse or one of your spouse's close relatives dies.

Medical Benefits

• Visiting your spouse in a hospital intensive care unit or during restricted visiting hours in other parts of a medical facility.
• Making medical decisions for your spouse if he or she becomes incapacitated and unable to express wishes for treatment.

Death Benefits

• Consenting to after-death examinations and procedures.
• Making burial or other final arrangements.

Family Benefits

• Filing for stepparent or joint adoption.
• Applying for joint foster care rights.
• Receiving equitable division of property if you divorce.
• Receiving spousal or child support, child custody, and visitation if you divorce.

Housing Benefits

• Living in neighborhoods zoned for "families only."
• Automatically renewing leases signed by your spouse.

Consumer Benefits

• Receiving family rates for health, homeowners', auto, and other types of insurance.
• Receiving tuition discounts and permission to use school facilities.
• Other consumer discounts and incentives offered only to married couples or families.

Other Legal Benefits and Protections

• Suing a third person for wrongful death of your spouse and loss of consortium (loss of intimacy).
• Suing a third person for offenses that interfere with the success of your marriage, such as alienation of affection and criminal conversation (these laws are available in only a few states).
• Claiming the marital communications privilege, which means a court can't force you to disclose the contents of confidential communications between you and your spouse during your marriage.
• Receiving crime victims' recovery benefits if your spouse is the victim of a crime.
• Obtaining immigration and residency benefits for noncitizen spouse.
• Visiting rights in jails and other places where visitors are restricted to immediate family 

As Ferris Bueller once said. "Your still here?"
Congratulations if you made it this far.
 I truly do not understand how granting rights to same sex couples is anything but the celebration of marriage.  How many of the people who voted for the state constitutional ban do not honor the very institution they are so afraid will be destroyed by granting that very same right to the children of God that they worship. His design.  So how about a little love and compassion for HAGBHCRTTPWAEAWTSTLTAAWTLBTCU.  But even the acronym is to long - how about we just call it Job Creator marriage.