Comments on: Wrongful Death in West Virginia

By: Regan DuCasse

Regan DuCasse — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:52:24 +0000

One can look at the Terri Schiavo case and see that a husband’s legal standing and rights to spousal medical directives were ignored and blocked for FIFTEEN years!
It the same factions that deny same sex couples such accomodation, would do it to straight couples too, damn the circumstances.

But in the case of Green and Snead, the police officer kept Green from administering FIRST AID.
If there is a Good Samaritan law in VA, it was violated.
A GS law, compels someone to give aid to a stranger, or at least that stranger may proceed if they waive any danger to themselves to save a life.
In any other situation, Green would be a HERO, for committing to first aid, despite possible risk to himself.
So this situation was no only tragic because of the orientation of the couple, but a first responder (the police officer) not allowing someone to save a life for the same reason.

Ya know…people are REAL shits when it comes to gay people.
Their impossible and double standards, that are exclusively around gay lives…creates unnecessary and dangerous situations.
Reminds me of the story of a white woman, who died in a car accident, in the Jim Crow South, because the nearest person who could have aided her was a black man.
He feared touching her, or removing her from the danger for fear of the reprisals that a black man could incur…however innocently and for doing a good and responsible deed.

When bigotry creates disaster, it’s the institution that’s wrong…not the object of the prejudice.

By: nolo

nolo — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 21:35:51 +0000

California, Hawaii and Vermont allow same-sex partners to recover in wrongful death cases, and there have been other positive developments along these lines in both state and federal law (see this article for a quick summary). A lot more needs to be done, but at least it's a start.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:32:51 +0000

I used to be pretty indifferent either way with respect to marriage rights. More recently, I’ve realised that it’s important that people have these relationships recognised; articles like this show exactly why it’s important and I hope that it is won within our lifetimes.

By: Nezua Limón Xolografik-Jonez

Nezua Limón Xolografik-Jonez — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:40:05 +0000

just the first half of this got me so mad i could hardly read on.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:21:15 +0000

Well put.

The legal power of being parents is not to be underestimated in connecting same-sex partners. My partner and I were returning from abroad with our son. The three of us approached the immigration officer who watched our approach with a puzzled look. “He’s our son,” we offered to explain why we were approaching as a family. The immigration officer was a bit taken aback and said, “uhhh, you’re domestic partners?” Of course, we said yes and handed him the passports. This was all it took to get back home to the US. After the 23 hour flight, this felt like a huge welcome home present to be recognized (in a small way) by the government as a family.