Constitutional Convention (Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004)
«Previous Page · 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 · Next Page»
Sen. Barrios continued: His fever grew worse and worse. I am a new parent. I did what my mom used to do. Sweat the fever out. Put a blanket on him. It kept getting higher. It was 104.5 when I called the hospital. I was very upset. My seven-year-old was screaming. I reached a nurse and started going into the symptoms. She said are you the parent. The parent they had listed was Doug. She said you are not listed. Are you married? What ensued seemed like an eternity when my child with a 104.5 fever, I though he could die on my watch while I was fighting with a nurse over whether I was his parent or not. The human aspect to this debate is very important to understand. I will never be able to go on as the married partner if any DOMA passes. None of your gay friends and loves ones will. There are real harms which are incurred by this. Is my family so different than any of yours? My son got sick. I called the hospital. Children do get sick. We need to have health coverage and services for them. Their parents need to be treated as equals. Marriage makes this possible. If I were to die tomorrow, before May 17, my partner would be ineligible for Social Security survivor benefits. I am currently barred from designating my partner as my pension beneficiary. How am I to make sure my children are taken care of? Javier asked me about a poster with an epithet. It was God hates . . . He asked me if god hated. I am the Latino senator, the gay guy, the liberal senator. I am also a practicing Catholic, a proud proud Catholic. He does not hate people. That is the question on the table. They were watching the debates last night. Despite the intimidation they may see, death threats as a senator saw or a House member spit upon, I want you to know you are profiles in courage. It would be easy to demonize the other side. It would be easy to teach my son to hate. Jesus instructs us I say to you love your enemies and pray to those who persecute you and I am teaching Javier to pray.
Rep. Flynn said what everyone saw here yesterday was sausage making, not pretty but it works and it’s working towards something I do not know. Whether it will go on the ballot or not I do not know. I heard about nothing being accomplished. I thought it was quite an amazing day. In deference to the Senate president, he put out a proposal and it was rejected. The same for the Speaker of the House. It’s the members who make the decisions here. That is good. It was cumbersome and inconvenient but good. I couldn’t sleep last night when I came home. On the way in with my wife, we had a deep personal conversation. I have a large family. I lost a member of my family last night because of my vote. Sometimes you have to do what you believe regardless of the consequences. I say to that member of the family, I love you and want you back in my family. You must understand that I took the oath of office and swore to do what you and I think is right regardless of party, politics and religion and family. In this case the people have a right to vote. Thank you Mr. President.
Sen. Creem said Justice Holmes said constitutions are
intended to preserve practical and substantial rights, not to maintain
theories. It is amazing that we are here today to strip away the rights of a
group of people rather than to preserve their rights. I waited to speak because
I almost couldn’t believe that this was the amendment, that this amendment
would come to the floor. The Supreme Court voted. Are we going to take every
action of the court and come here and change our constitution? We can’t do that
and continue to strip away rights of people because folks, they have the rights.
The Supreme Court gave it to them. The issue is there already is a law. The
Supreme Court voted to give them all the rights, benefits and protections of
married couples. In 1935 the law in