Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Opposite sex partners don't have to travel halfway across the country to get married because they can do it wherever they are. The same thing isn't true for same sex partners.
That's irrelevant. No matter where you are in the nation you can get to any other point in the nation on a flight on Friday night after work, get married on Saturday, and fly back on Sunday.
This is something that has never been granted to their heterosexual counterparts, and will continue to not be granted to them. So much for equality. The theory is that this will allow them to travel to states where the marriages are legal. However, the service has never granted uncharged leave to those seeking to travel to one of the 20 states that allow marriage to first cousins when stationed a place that doesn't allow it. And in before someone comments on it - I personally know two couples the first cousin issue applied to.
This is something that has never been granted to their heterosexual counterparts, and will continue to not be granted to them. So much for equality. The theory is that this will allow them to travel to states where the marriages are legal. However, the service has never granted uncharged leave to those seeking to travel to one of the 20 states that allow marriage to first cousins when stationed a place that doesn't allow it. And in before someone comments on it - I personally know two couples the first cousin issue applied to.
What's "embarrassing" is you so obviously and blatantly trying to turn what's been, for the most part, a positive and healing discussion, Okie1962's continuingly divisive comments notwithstanding, back into a conflict. You should be ashamed of yourself.
As a gay man, I appreciate this. Coming out is a process, even for the loved ones of gays and lesbians. We do it in our own time and in our own way. I don't agree with the position you and Oldhag1 and supporting, but I agree that this can be a discussion where we all seek to better understand.
While I can see why you would see this policy as unequal/unfair, it seems to me that it is an attempt to make right the wrongness that in 30+ states gays and lesbians can not get married. Is it the best way? Absolutely not. The best way is to ensure that SSM is legal across the land, then policies such as this would be unnecessary.
@okie1962...your rhetoric is divisive and insulting. I don't see a hidden agenda here, just a difference in opinion. If we approach this with respect, we may gain some insight on both sides.
My husband is military. I know all about leave, all about everyone pretty much having to take leave to travel to a home state to get married, all about weddings getting postponed because leave was canceled for mission needs. More service members need to travel to get married than don't. Why are only homosexual service members getting free leave for this?
That's a good question. Heterosexuals should get the leave as well, imo.
Yet they can get married perfectly fine in Florida as well as Washington, they have that liberty.
Homosexuals only have about 20 states, so the military obviously is taking a logical step to help curtail that with a reasonable decision and protocol.
I commend the military for doing this.
It's not a logical step. It's a band-aid that treats certain citizens unfairly. The logical step would be for the federal government to promise liberty of lifestyle to all citizens in a manner that freedom-denying states could not intervene.
Seriously how is ONE...ONE privilege that the military of all places giving to homosexuals to get married and doing so with 10 uncharged days of leave unequal or unfair to heterosexuals?
You can assume all you want, but you're not fooling me. You're just upset and are crying over the fact that homosexuals get a neat little perk that won't be taken advantage of on a common basis because guess what? Leave, no matter what, still has to be approved by the CO. That's what your forgetting.
Get the hell off your high horse and stop it with the crocodile tears.
Okay, we'll try this again:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
I want equality to mean just that. If they had come out and said "Service members who wish to enter into what is a legal marriage in an American state, but that is not legal at their current duty station, are authorized to take up to 10 day uncharged leave to travel to a state that permits that marriage," - which would have accomplished their goal without granting special privileges - I would have no comment about this, and indeed can see its merit.
How does the bolded change the policy, other than make sure it is about ensuring access to marriage for ALL, rather than specifying one group? I am not on a high horse, I want equality. This way it is about the equitable access to marriage. I was under the impression that was the goal. Was I wrong? Or is this simply about "little perks" just for your chosen group?
It's not a logical step. It's a band-aid that treats certain citizens unfairly. The logical step would be for the federal government to promise liberty of lifestyle to all citizens in a manner that freedom-denying states could not intervene.
Untrue. First off, you're attempting to interject normal political terms into THE MILITARY. You do realize that people who enter the military trade certain freedoms and liberties for the immeasurable power and responsibility they gain in return, don't you?
Second of all, not every single homosexual military member are going to go off and abuse the 10 day uncharged leave because guess what? The leave still has to be approved!
All these outcries and crocodile tears, man. I swear. It's like you can't be happy enough that heterosexuals get literally thousands of marriage and societal benefits, but because homosexuals get ONE - just ONE - known benefit over heterosexuals and suddenly everyone is crying wolf.
Please.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
