[Vision2020] The Damage Done in this Community

Tom Hansen thansen@moscow.com
Fri, 6 Feb 2004 18:33:41 -0800


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It is my opinion that establishing a new term for legal cohabitation would
open a whole new bucket of worms.  Many government programs that
differentiate between two single individuals and a couple that are legally
cohabitating (I am really trying to avoid using the word "married") require
nothing to establish the former and a marriage certificate to establish the
latter.  A "marriage" does not have to be performed in a church or by a
chaplain or pastor.  A "marriage" can be conducted by a justice of the
peace.  And the marriage would still be legally binding.

Tom Hansen
  -----Original Message-----
  From: LuJane Nisse publisher [mailto:lujane@lataheagle.com]
  Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 6:25 PM
  To: thansen@moscow.com; vision2020@moscow.com
  Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Damage Done in this Community


  is there another way gays could be "married" without calling it
"marriage"... would that not satisfy the masses? As long as the contract was
"as binding" as a marriage contract (just a thot).  The goal is to protect
the union as far as children, assets, insurance, etc. (if I understand it
right). The religious sector, those against this "gay marriage" object to
calling it marriage as that is reserved for a union before God (if I
understand them right). Could the two be bound another way? That could
satisfy both groups.


    -----Original Message-----
    From: Tom Hansen [mailto:thansen@moscow.com]
    Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 6:02 PM
    To: LuJane Nisse publisher; Dan Carscallen; vision2020@moscow.com
    Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Damage Done in this Community


    This brings to mind a statement made a long, long time ago.  I believe
it went something like:

    "People fear those things they do not understand"

    The problem (I think) is getting people to understand.

    The question is "Why not allow same sex marriages?"

    Do people think that if same sex marriages are outlawed that gay couples
will not cohabit?  Here is a news flash.  People (heterosexual and
homosexual) are going to live together and "indulge" whether they are
married or not.

    The church may not recognize a same-sex marriage.  So be it.  Each state
of the Nifty Fifty (as I like to call them) establishes laws unto
themselves.  A marriage, according to the church, is sanctified.  A
marriage, by statutory law, is a "contractual" obligation between two
people.

    Certainly if I were a religious person a marriage of two people of the
same sex may go against my religious convictions.  But that does not
disqualify them from "equal justice under the law".  A same-sex marriage,
whether it exists next door, down the street, across town, or across the
country, is not going to impact on me as a person, me as a contributing
member of society, and most certanly not as a husband to my wife.

    Take care,

    Tom Hansen
    My spouse's significant other


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<DIV><SPAN class=3D981472702-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>It =
is my opinion=20
that establishing a new term for legal cohabitation would open a whole =
new=20
bucket of worms.&nbsp; Many government programs that differentiate =
between two=20
single individuals and a couple that are legally cohabitating (I am =
really=20
trying to avoid using the word "married") require nothing to establish =
the=20
former and&nbsp;a marriage certificate to establish the latter.&nbsp; A=20
"marriage" does not have to be performed in a church or by a chaplain or =

pastor.&nbsp; A "marriage" can be conducted by a justice of the =
peace.&nbsp; And=20
the marriage would still be legally binding.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D981472702-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D981472702-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Tom =

Hansen</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> LuJane Nisse =
publisher=20
  [mailto:lujane@lataheagle.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 06, =
2004 6:25=20
  PM<BR><B>To:</B> thansen@moscow.com; =
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
  RE: [Vision2020] The Damage Done in this =
Community<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=3D899422102-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D4>is there=20
  another way gays could be "married" without calling it "marriage"... =
would=20
  that not satisfy the masses? As long as the contract was "as binding" =
as a=20
  marriage contract (just a thot).&nbsp; The goal is to protect the =
union as far=20
  as children, assets, insurance, etc. (if I understand it right). The =
religious=20
  sector, those against this "gay marriage" object to calling it =
marriage as=20
  that is reserved for a union before God (if I understand them right). =
Could=20
  the two be bound another way? That could satisfy both=20
  groups.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=3D899422102-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D4></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><SPAN class=3D899422102-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D4></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
    <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
    size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Tom Hansen=20
    [mailto:thansen@moscow.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 06, =
2004 6:02=20
    PM<BR><B>To:</B> LuJane Nisse publisher; Dan Carscallen;=20
    vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] The Damage =
Done in=20
    this Community<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>This brings=20
    to mind a statement made a long, long time ago.&nbsp; I believe it =
went=20
    something like:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>"People fear=20
    those things they do not understand"</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>The problem=20
    (I think) is getting people to understand.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>The question=20
    is "Why not allow same sex marriages?"</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Do people=20
    think that if same sex marriages are outlawed that gay couples will =
not=20
    cohabit?&nbsp; Here is a news flash.&nbsp; People (heterosexual and=20
    homosexual)&nbsp;are going to live together and "indulge" whether =
they are=20
    married or not.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>The church=20
    may not recognize a same-sex marriage.&nbsp; So be it.&nbsp; Each =
state of=20
    the Nifty Fifty (as I like to call them) establishes laws unto=20
    themselves.&nbsp; A marriage, according to the church, is =
sanctified.&nbsp;=20
    A marriage, by statutory law, is a "contractual" obligation between =
two=20
    people.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Certainly if=20
    I were a religious person a marriage of two people of the same sex =
may go=20
    against my religious convictions.&nbsp; But that does not disqualify =
them=20
    from "equal justice under the law".&nbsp; A same-sex marriage, =
whether it=20
    exists next door, down the street, across town, or across the =
country, is=20
    not going to impact on me as a person, me as a contributing member =
of=20
    society, and most certanly not as a husband to my =
wife.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Take=20
    care,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Tom=20
    Hansen</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D899374601-07022004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>My spouse's=20
    significant other</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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