What the ?!???

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...y_marriage_ohio

Ohio's economy is in the toilet, THE TOILET, thanks to the Bush recession, and then they pass a law like this. I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

I didn't even realize this was brewing, though... Have I totally been under a rock?!? Seriously, though - is this kind of legislation alive in other states? I feel lucky to be in New Jersey.

(Yes, I just wrote I feel lucky to be in New Jersey).

The ban on benefits to domestic partners of state govt. employees applies both to gay and straight domestic partners, so at least they didn't come out as being totally anti-gay, but why would some smart, talented, gay professor take a job at The Ohio State University now? It's strikes me as so self-defeating for a state whose young, bright people are exiting in droves. The law does NOT prohibit private companies from offering same-sex domestic partner benefits.

But it is anti-gay...the straight couple has the option of getting married; we don't, and as far as they are concerned, we never will. I'm from Michigan originally, and something like this almost anywhere in the Midwest is not surprising.

It seems pretty simple to me: this is what you get when the Republicans control the government from top to bottom. And to think that some of us actually VOTE for these creeps.

They think that by voting Repub. the are being fiscally responsible. I could give a ____ (insert derrogatory word) about fiscal responsibility. I want to marry my partner and have joint healthcare coverage and be able to opperate equally within the laws as recognized spouses. That's all!

I don't know why they vote the way they do when it harms their own community. I can only say that they need to adjust thier priorities.

But at least one of the federal stop-gay-marriage amendments would, as written. eek! :mad:

But also, shouldn't the state support the desire for people to maximize their economic possibilities as gay civil unions and marriages help to ensure? Shouldn't the state support the private benefits to individuals which accrue when parties join in union and have state recognition to do so? The possibility of increased purchasing power, development of personal financial and other resources, and so on are enhanced by marriage--or can be--and in the case of most gay marriages probably would be, so the argument for fiscal responsibility should fall on the side of gay marriage rather than against it.

Following up on what fantomas wrote, The Chronicle of Higher Education did a story just a few years ago about equal partner benefits at colleges and universities. Institutions have been scared that extending benefits to gay partners will jack costs up. The article pointed out, though, that the most expensive benefits for college and universities to pay are still those associated with employees having babies. In short, extending benefits to gay couples does NOT have the extreme finacial impact people expect.

A Letter to the Editor of the New York Times (or maybe it was The Village Voice?) suggested resistance to equal partner legislation was about $$$. That hasn't proven to be true.

Each case like this - Ohio endorsing homophobia and heterosexism - makes coming out more and more and more important. The Advocate or Out or NGLTF or someone needs to organize a national "Blue Flu" day for gay issues.

A national Don't Go to Work Day. It would show Ohio and other states how valuable our contributions to society are.

The day could extent to our families and allies, too. They could register nationally and be sent instructions:
1) Your gay son is getting married! In Vancouver. You need to take (insert # of days here) to go to the wedding.
2) Your neighbor was brutually "queer bashed". You need to take the day off to visit him at the hospital/help her get around the house/accompany her to court or a meeting with her attorney, etc.
3) Your daughter is moving to New Jersey (or California, depending on what state is furthest away from the registrant) because your state doesn't provide equal protection to gays and lesbians. You'll only be able to see her at major holidays and saying goodbye has been harder than you could have ever imagine. You need to take the day off to spend more time with her before her big trip across the country.

The idea is to have people call work and say they can't come in. Heck, it's even better if they talk about taking the day off BEFORE they do. Show the letter! Tell all your co-workers. Let everyone know WHY you signed up!!!

Then, on the day off, LGBT folks and their allies could go to local high schools and/or college campuses for teach-ins, film screenings, activism workshops, speeches from gay and non-gay speakers and local legislators. Maybe each state would have two or three, and at each site someone like Ellen DeGeneres or Pansy Division or LeTigre or Margaret Cho, etc. could give a live concert.

I know I'm loopy/crazy/silly here, but, seriously, we have to do something, right? The option can't just be for everyone to move to VT, NJ, CA, right?

I don't know how/why I became so wound about this. It just galls me that our nation is so anesthatized (sp?) to the depth and degree of this bigotry.

:-( frown

I don't think you're being loopy, B Man, you've got some good ideas about sending a message to politicians who are hell bent on making us second class citizens. If every gay Ohio business owner would just close up shop and move to another state and throw all of his straight workers into the unemployment line, that would certainly send a message. What galls me is that this is my home state, a place that has a history of treating people fairly. We always knew that Cincinnati was the state's little corner of hate, but now the whole state has lost its way. There are two small glimers of hope. #1, the gov. hasn't signed it into law yet, so maybe someone can convince him. #2, the Attorney Gen. (name is Petro, or something like that), he's going to run for gov. and he is dead set against this bill. He's a moderate Repug., and since Ohio is a Repug. state for the time being, maybe he'll get elected and convince the legislature to repeal the law. By that time, the negative econ. impact will surely be felt.

GREAT ideas there, B-Man. It's time for the gay equality movement to engage in some civil disruption.