Marriage, not just for the straights

I joined the Courage Campaign a while ago because I feel strongly for the rights of Gay and Lesbians to be allowed to marry.  In fact, I don't even know why it is an issue.  I understand the right of the church to refuse marriage, I even understand the right to be against it, however, I don't understand why the State doesn't allow it.  Here in Britain, Gays and Lesbians can have a Civil Union.  In fact you can even get a marriage visa for it.  I don't understand what the people of the U.S. are so afraid of.  People try to argue that Homosexuality destroys families and tatters the moral fabric of the country.  I don't see how this is a valid argument seeing as how the divorce rate among first marriages is 50% and the molestation and child abuse rate encompasses all people.

I can't believe there are laws in some States that prohibit gay marriage.  This map (click on it to make larger) and legend is from Dym-Sum:

Green = Same-sex marriage is legal.
Lime green = Same-sex marriage used to be legal (California).
Yellow = Legalization of same-sex marriage is in progress, either via legislation or judicial action.
Pink = Same-sex marriages performed elsewhere are recognized; no legislation has been introduced to legalize same-sex marriage at this time.
Purple = Same-sex marriage legislation has been introduced, but no committee votes or House/Assembly or Senate roll calls have taken place yet.
Lilac = Same-sex marriage or same-sex union legislation was previously introduced, but no action was taken during most recent session, or legislation failed.
Orange = Civil unions or domestic/registered partnerships exist for same-sex couples; no legislation or judicial action is in progress for legalization of same-sex marriage.
Red = Same-sex marriages are neither legal nor recognized, due to statute, constitutional amendment, or both; no option (civil unions or domestic partnerships) for same-sex couples exists
Black = All same-sex unions (marriage, civil union, domestic partnership) are banned/not recognized via constitutional amendment.

And the European comparrison (also from Dym-Sum):

Green = Same-sex marriage is legal.
Purple = Same-sex marriage or registered partnership legislation has been introduced or considered.
Orange = Civil unions or registered partnerships exist for same-sex couples.
Yellow = Unregistered cohabitation exist for same-sex couples (see: Croatia)
Pink = Same-sex unions performed elsewhere are recognized (see: Isle of Man.
Red = Same-sex marriages are neither legal nor recognized, via statute or constitution
Grey = There are no laws either allowing or banning same-sex marriages or unions; same-sex marriages and unions are considered not recognized in these nations.
Black = Vatican City, where one can be certain that same-sex marriages will neverbe legalized.

I am shocked by the ads that are put on TV, but was intrigued that the anti-gay marriage commercial for Maine, who is looking to repeal their gay marriage law in November. Below is a revamped version of the anti-gay marriage commercial that was shown in California, using the same actors and everything.




Come on America, get a grip.  I am baffled at why, in a country that values their freedom and fights so hard for the Constitution would be so judgmental and  bigoted against a group of people who want to make their love for their partner official.  Who want to be allowed to visit their partner in the hospital as next of kin, and who want to share mortgages, adopt children and make life and death decisions together.  Why doesn't it make sense for them to have the same freedoms as straight couples?  In my opinion, it is a crime and it disgraces the United States, land of opportunity and freedom, to not let Gays and Lesbians marry.

Healthcare...ARRRGGGG!!

I have been having a little conversation about the whole health care issue with cousin Jan on Facebook. He is against the whole socialized medicine thing and I am for it.

Now as always, I will put my little disclaimer up about (I should just copy and paste this to the top of my blog) I haven't done a ton of research to back up my statements and this is all from my point of view and how I see it. Please don't yell at me and I apologize for seeming naive. On this subject, however, I have personal experience being a patient of private and socialized health care and am therefore not speaking from a political point of view but from a patients' point of view.

I suppose this is a good way to get some of you to discredit anything I have to say right off the bat, but I will encourage it anyway...see Michael Moore's film "Sicko," you can take his information with a grain of NaCl if you like. He has always admitted that his films are biased. But in any case, it is an interesting film about American health care (though I will be the first to admit, I have been fortunate enough to not have gone through any of the things the people he interviewed have gone through). OK, got that out of the way.

Again, I am not coming at this from the political, economic stand point because I am way too lazy to do the homework and I really don't care because I think it is simple...EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE DR WITHOUT GOING BROKE!!!!

As most of you know...when I was 17 I was in a car accident and it led to allot of problems and I have had to see a Dr constantly for the past 13 years. Admittedly, I had insurance for many of those years from my parents and boyfriend. However, when my boyfriend lost his job, no more health care. Guess what I have? A preexisting condition that requires thousands of dollars in Dr and prescription care. So guess what?? No one wants to insure me. The best I could do was Washington State Health Insurance Pool costing a whopping $1000 every 3 months with a PPO $500 deductible for care and $500 for drugs and a $15 co-pay (it was pointless for me to do the other options because of the care I needed. I do have to say though, they offered awesome insurance coverage. Acupuncture and the lot). I was only able to fund this through money I was given from stocks (luckily when that money ran out I was in Britain).

Now, I understand, I am one of the people the average tax payer who isn't sick DOESN'T want to pay for...fair enough...and frankly, with the amount of care I had to receive, I wouldn't want to be stuck with average "free" health care. But what about the random sickness?? What if you are one of the healthy people who gets horribly ill and ends up in the hospital? What if you are one of the thousands of people who lost their jobs and have a preexisting condition?? Even better, what if your CHILD has a preexisting health condition (pulling on the heart strings now)?

But I digress...

So...I love my Drs at home. They wanted me well and went to the umpteenth degree to help me. When I came to the UK I was on 7 different medications. I soon found out that non were working, because as soon as my Dr and I decided I wasn't "on loan" from the US, we decided I should get off some of them. And I did...I am only on 3 now. Maybe it was because it was seen by my NHS Dr that my meds were a strain on the NHS or maybe it was because she isn't used to seeing someone on so much medication because they think of other ways to help people besides pushing drugs. I don't know. All that I know is that I don't have to take so much medication and am healthier for it. However, one of the medicines I HAVE to take costs $1000/ month in the US and about $12.00 in the UK!!! HOW CAN THAT BE? Sometimes I get generic and sometimes name brand, it makes no difference, it is the same price.

Now whether or not you think everyone should see the Dr for free or not is up to you, however, having to take a drug that costs $1000/month is scandalous!! Especially when you can get it for $12.00 somewhere else. To me, this is the issue EVERYONE needs to get behind. We need to be able to get drugs from other countries at our neighbourhood pharmacies.

And so as I mulled over the discussion Jan and I were having via Facebook posts, I realized that I don't think the issue is about socialized health care at all. I think it is about trusting the American government with our health care. Jan mentioned the Military and Veteran's health care and I do remember my short stint working at the chiropractor's office and having to get get COBRA and Medicare to pay for people. However, we had just as much trouble getting auto insurance to pay for medical bills as well...so it is ALL screwed up, not just the government end. Something I hear all the time on the American news stations is that they don't want government between them and their Dr...well how is that any different from a cooperation? It isn't.

This has gotten really long and I am sorry, but the thing is...I can't come back to the States until Richard or I get a job that has insurance that covers preexisting conditions or the health care system gets better. And it is as simple as that. I can't afford to come home because I CAN'T AFFORD MY MEDICINE! To have the baby in the States would cost a minimum of $12,000 and that is just for an in and out, no drug, no monitor procedure in some random state, I have no idea what it would cost in Washington.

If you reached the bottom of the page, please comment below. Again, please don't yell at me.