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Wyoming Constitution: Article 1, Section 14...All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, not shall cruel or unusual punishment be inflicted.
 
 
 
(special note...if anyone is interested in becoming involved with this issue, send me a note.)
 
 
    Greetings Fellow Citizens!
 
 
    Of course the sponsors of HB# 184 do not call it an attack on marriage, they call it the 'Defense' of Marriage Act', although I suppose it would most accurately be called the 'attack on the rights of individual states and countries to do their own thing' act.
 
    See the text and the sponsors here....
 
 
    There are two aspects of this same sex marriage thing to consider. The first one is whether or not an individual state will allow same sex marriage or civil unions or whatever legal interpersonal contract might be created. Wyoming does not allow such an atrocity to occur. Imagine, letting two people who love each other establish a binding legal obligation! Why...the nerve!!
 
    The other aspect is whether or not Wyoming will recognize any such legal contracts from other states or countries, and that is the issue within HB #184.
 
    The same concept was introduced last year as Senate File #85, but hit an iceberg in the Senate Judiciary Committee and sank without a trace. I was proud to be a part of that iceberg.
 
    The main problem I see with this little bit of intolerance is this...Wyoming is a destination for tourists from all over the world, we spend a lot of tax money to try to get them to come here. So same sex married couples from Canada or Holland are here doing the tourist thing, and there is an emergency, a car crash or heart attack. Who would have the power to make health care decisions?
 
    Usually it would be the other half of the marriage, but not if this bill passes. The other person, a partner of perhaps 30 years, would not be recognized as having any kind of a special relationship with the injured party. Is that fair, right and just? I think not.
 
    Civil marriage is a bundle of legal contracts rolled up into one phrase, and available to the right couples for $20.00 or whatever. Other couples are not deemed worthy by the religious dogma of traditional thinkers, and so they must be persecuted. Burn the witch!!
 
    This is also a states rights issue in the sense that if another state wants to recognize same sex marriage, why is it that we want to do our part to put the screws to that decision? What if other states were to go down the same path and refuse to recognize man-sheep marriages from Wyoming?? That would be an intolerable interference in our affairs...wouldn't it?
 
    And besides...gays and lesbians should be able to get married because they have should have the same right to be miserable as everyone else!!!
 
 Well anyways, that's the deal.
 
Keith 'live and let live' Goodenough
 
   
 
   

                               

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