December 1, 2012

Another reason for Gay Marriage Rights in the U.S.A.

Tom Bridegroom, age 29, fell off of a roof in May of 2011, in Los Angeles. 

He was taking a photograph on the roof when he misstepped and later died from this tragic fall. 
Shane on the left; Tom on the right

Tom was gay and had a partner, Shane Bitney Crone. They had been together for 6 years. 

Shane came out to his parents and family and had no problem. 

Tom came out to his parents and family in Indiana and it was ugly. They were hostile to their son after he came out. They were not happy to have a gay son, regardless of how accomplished he was. We guess that they would have welcomed a straight alcoholic and drug addicted son, or a straight wife beater son, or a straight lay down dog-lazy son instead. As long as he was..... straight?

When Tom died, his family threatened to harm Shane if he attended the funeral of his partner of 6 years, and refused to furnish information about Tom's death, autopsy and burial. They slammed the door in the face of the man who was their son's partner. Tom's family felt that Shane "turned their son gay." 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray that people get smart and realize that being gay is not a "preference"'; it is an orientation. It is not a choice. It is just there when you are a kid and when you get your hormones at age 12 or 13. 

We thought that a 15 year old kid would know that. Apparently not the parents of Tom Bridegroom. 

Tom and Shane lived in California which does not allow gay marriage. If California did allow gay marriage, Shane would have been able to attend the funeral of his spouse. He would have had some rights at the hospital and with the funeral and the estate, and afterwards.  He would have had some say about his lost loved one, amid his unspeakable grief.  

The Angels weep over
injustice
Americans always think that what happens in the U.S.A. is the be-all and the end-all and that American society is the standard for modern democracy. Duh? We don't think so.

Canada, which is your next door neighbor, has had gay marriage in effect since 2003 in provincial jusidictions and 2005 in all Canadian jurisdictions. And nothing happened.....It was a non-event.  Those who are gay and wanted to get married, did so. Canada did not fall apart. We did not go to hell in a hand-basket. We are doing just fine, thank you. 

America, please grow up. Get over the Bible-Thumping. Pass gay marriage rights and get on with it. 

And then let's deal with what is really happening in this world which is continuous war and how do we stop it?  And climate change and how do we stop it?   And disease and how do we cure it?  And the population explosion and how do we feed us?

Pray for Tom Bridegroom. Pray that he is in Heaven. Amen. 

Pray for his partner Shane, who lost his loved one. Amen. 

Pray for equality for every human being.  Amen. 

See Shane's YouTube Video here.

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