Woman: I couldn't see my dying partner--This is some F'ed up shit!

[trumad]

A woman from Washington state says a Jackson Memorial Hospital social worker refused to let her see her dying partner and told her Florida is ''an anti-gay state,'' according to an article in The Olympian that Rosie O'Donnell posted on rosie.com.

Janice Langbehn says Lisa Pond, her partner for 17 years, suffered a brain aneurysm Feb. 18 on the Norwegian Jewel, shortly before the couple and their three children, then 9 to 13, were to sail from Miami on an R Family Vacations cruise to the Caribbean.
http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/144992.html

[nini]

1. WTF??

How fucked up are you when you put your stupid ass views ahead of humanity.

Florida is so fucked up on so many levels it's pathetic.

[babylonsister]

2. If there was ever a lawsuit...what the hell is an 'anti-gay' state, and

who made the social worker a lawyer? And what happened to that social worker's compassion???:nuke: :nuke:

[Gold Metal Flake]

3. Civil rights for one = civil rights for all.

Conservatives hate too much to recognize the civil rights of others.

[MikeNearMcChord]

4. What was the compelling reason to deny her the right to see

her partner? I mean who was it going to hurt? Fundie Christians? I loathe these damn conservatives. If this social worker is a Christian then I am ashamed to called one.

[Telly Savalas]

21. In addition to bigotry

there's probably also an element of some loser bureaucrat getting a cheap power trip by exerting what little authority she has.

[Solo_in_MD]

39. Social workers are fundementally unaccountable to anyone

more so than cops and repuke politicians. Seen too many cases where they have run amuck without consequences

[Maat]

73. Very NOT true.

Our supervisors at Child Protective watched us closely, and we had policies and laws that were highlighted to us - and we confined our conduct within their boundaries. Despite that, I was actually sued with false allegations by an alleged perpetrator just for putting his daughter's story down - as her statement (fortunately, the case was dismissed).

If I was involved in a case in which a child was taken into protective custody, I justified every move in a courtroom.

I'd be surprised if the social worker in question is not fired, despite the lack of a specific law protecting partner rights in that state, for there always is a catch-all in the general anti-discrimination law.

[Solo_in_MD]

74. I have witnessed very bad behavior on the part of social workers

be defended not punished. The victims of the social worker(s) were threatened retribution when they pursued the issue. Sovereign Immunity was asserted to protect the social workers from lawsuits. My experience, and admittedly its just my experience, has shown me that there is no accountability for social workers, at least in that county of California.

[Maat]

76. I guess we have to agree to disagree, then (n/t).

[Gormy Cuss]

5. Ugh. Yes it is fucked up.

It's one thing to exclude her partner from making medical decisions because of the state's failure to recognize. It's yet another to ignore the emotional bonds of the partner AND THEIR FREAKING CHILDREN at a time when they could be spending their last few minutes with her.

[alarimer]

6. This is what the whole fight for equal rights is about, in my opinion

So no one else ever has to go through this.

First of all, I do not understand why hospitals pull this shit. I mean, if someone is dying, they should be allowed to see whomever they want, right, if they can articulate it?

[NMDemDist2]

18. EXACTLY, mine too n/t

[Obamarama]

7. If it were me, I'd be in immediate contact with the ACLU...

It's not like these women didn't protect themselves with medical durable powers of attorney or patient advocate designations. It sounds like they had those documents...those LEGAL documents, and that the hospital refused to honor them.

If she was legally able to make medical decisions for her partner, the surviving partner should have been given regular updates and opportunities to be with her partner. This would have never played out like this if she had been a husband or wife in a heterosexual marriage.

This sort of thing is unacceptable, but not surprising.

[Kagemusha]

10. Where's your source for the power of attorney part?

I didn't see that in this particular article. I saw something that looked like a duck, walked like a duck, but... it could be read as something other than power of attorney per se.

What the OP couldn't quote was very strong hospital denials. I wonder if the denials have any truth to them. (My gut says, no, but we'll see...)

[tyedyeto]

12. About 1/2 way down the Miami Herald is this paragraph:

``Even after a friend in Olympia faxed the legal documents that showed that Pond had authorized Langbehn to make medical decisions for her, Langbehn said she wasn't invited to be with her partner or told anything about her condition. She said she wasn't allowed to see Pond again until a priest arrived to give . . . Last Rites.''

[Kagemusha]

14. Yeah... I just don't know if that's actually power of attorney...

If that's based on a family member relationship like it would be for a wife or husband... I can see where the hospital started getting snippy. My rule is, it's not power of attorney unless it extremely explicitly says so. So I'll keep my ear to the ground.

[Obamarama]

24. In Michigan we are able to have patient advocate designations....

They are not the same as powers of attorney but they allow a person to designate another person to make medical decisions if you are not able to make them yourself, and also allow that designee to have hospital visitation privelages. I know other states have similar documents, but I don't know how they vary from state to state.

My partner and I drew these documents up soon after we were together and we actually had to rely on them a few years ago when he was in a terrible accident. I don't know how the hospital would have treated me without the document, but I presented it to them immediately upon my arrival to the hospital ER room and simply acted like I had the same rights as any legally married spouse. Nobody batted an eyelash or questioned my authority.

[Kagemusha]

26. Oh yeah, that's begging for trouble in an "anti-gay" state.

Totally notwithstanding that things should work EXACTLY as you describe them, in any part of a civilized country... but that is not power of attorney, and a hospital in a state disputing the legality of being able to designate a partner in that role could defy such documents with impunity.

Though it makes me think of this question... can a person be designated as such who IS NOT a family member? i.e. you could set this up with a completely unrelated person like a long-time friend? And I'd love to know, though you probably have no reason to know, if Florida allows such a thing.

[Obamarama]

30. I didn't say it was a power of attorney....

But it's still a legal document. And yes, you can name anyone you want as your patient advocate, family member or not.

[Kagemusha]

32. That makes this hospital's position interesting then.

Because if you can name a non family member, and they refuse for the reason that a person is your gay partner, even though being a family member is not necessary... ...Well, it's wrong. But I don't know how much hospitals tend to pay for refusing legal documents of such a nature and, you basically can't sue for discrimination based on being the partner, given the lack of constitutional protections.... though you can on the basis of a legal document being refused..

[northofdenali]

62. Yes, they can, in most states. n/t

[tammywammy]

8. Very f-ed up indeed

And very sad.

[BattyDem]

9. I saw this story on Rosie's blog yesterday

It's heartbreaking! :cry:

From the article: Langbehn, a social worker, said officials at . . . did not recognize her or their jointly adopted children as part of Pond's family. They were not allowed to be with her . . . and Langbehn's authority to make decisions for Pond was not recognized . . .

Why couldn't the hospital show some compassion and let her be with her partner? The woman was DYING! Who gives a shit what the "law" is?! What difference would it have made to anyone except the two women involved? :shrug: :grr:

You can't ignore someone's legal rights simply because they cross the state line! And how the hell could they ignore the rights of the children to see their mother if Lisa Pond legally adopted them???

:grr: :grr: :grr:

The sad part is ... we're going to be seeing a lot more of this as more states grant rights to same-sex couples and those couples get sick/injured while traveling. It's not right. They can't keep doing this to families. Those poor children must be terrified to travel now. How could they not believe that if they vacation in the "wrong" state, their Mom may not be their mom anymore. :-(

What's going to happen when a same-sex couple from another country goes through this shit while visiting the US? Suddenly, they won't have any rights at all ... and I can't imagine their countries being too happy about that. It's an international incident waiting to happen. Maybe if US tourism takes a big enough hit, the bigots will allow these couples to have equal rights. After all, money always trumps "morality" with conservatives. :eyes:

[MadMaddie]

11. What I don't understand is if they have legal court papers from

another state then logic would say they should be honored.

This needs to go to the courts, and it needs to be fought on a different level.

Lets say a straight couple adopts kids in another state...and they move to Florida should their legal documentation be honored?

What about marriage licenses from other states?

What about degrees from other state Universities.

You see this is where this fight has to go to show the absurdness of these supposed laws.

Unbelievable. Well I will make sure that Florida does not get my $$$.

[gollygee]

13. Horrifying

A tragic example of why civil rights for the GLBT community is so needed.

[theHandpuppet]

15. I'm just waiting for the inevitable poster to show up...

.... who tells us once again to take a seat at the back of the bus, that standing up for our basic human rights is "political poison" for the party. And since I'm going to bed, I might as well give that poster a pre-emptive SCREW YOU!~!!!!!!!!

[Telly Savalas]

19. They usually have their own threads for that.

There's too much cognitive dissonance involved in posting bullshit like that in a thread like this.

[supernova]

16. Frighteningly sad

:cry:

We need gay marriage and we need universal health care NOW!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Trillo]

17. It was a legal kidnapping. n/t

[Telly Savalas]

20. There's two sides to this issue.

This is about the sanctity of marriage.

How am I supposed to maintain a healthy marriage when somebody I've never met gets to visit somebody else I've never met in a hospital a thousand miles away?

[motocicleta]

22. This type of thing certainly makes me question my anti-

death penalty stance. Anyone who denied Janice Lengbehn access to her partner, honestly, should not breathe the same air Lengbehn and Pond's children do.

Bastards.

[libnnc]

23. This is my biggest fear.

We've got paperwork, HIPPA, power of attorney, and living wills. I'm afraid that isn't enough. What if this happens to us?

Horrible story...:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Marrah_G]

28. I'm so sorry this is something you have to worry about

You shouldn't ever have to even think about this. This might sound like a flip answer, but, move to Mass. We will welcome you and respect your rights.

[libnnc]

31. That's sweet of you

I appreciate it so much. I wish we could move to Boston. We can't move (elderly parent obligations) but if we could, we probably would choose MA. I've heard so many wonderful things about the Boston area.

[salin]

34. Ask local hospitals - NOW - per their policies.

get them to put it in writing (and keep it.) I would bet that most hospitals would *not* go on record to deny visitation rights for partners. And if they do - publicity around that point might change the position. In the case that it does not - if one lives in a large enough area where more than one hospital is an option - the information can go into the living will documents (ala if one ends up being taken to a hostile hospital that the wishes are for stabilization and then moving to another facitily.

Tears sent - what a horrible loss both the loss of ability to give comfort when it matters - and the loss of a loved partner. :cry:

[Breeze54]

25. That is Bullshit and inhumane !!!!

No one should vote on human rights!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a given, just for being human!!!!

That story is awful and just inhumane and tragic!!!

It isn't the only one like it; either!! :cry:

I hope it's the last one!!! :grr:

LOVE IS LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"A rose is a rose is a rose. By any other name, it would still be a rose."

[Marrah_G]

27. I said on another post I have lost intrest in traveling to most of the country

Bullshit like this is why. It is un-thinkable that someone in a HOSPITAL would keep loved ones away and make a woman die alone. It is truly disgusting. People shoving their own beliefs down the throats of others. Live and let live.

I am SO ready for my region to secede from this failing, over-sized union.

[theHandpuppet]

37. Yep, this is a reason my partner and I don't travel in the South

We DO worry about things like this because the threat is real.

Note to ALL DUers: When making your travel/vacation plans, please let your money speak for your convictions -- patronize those states that have taken a stand for all human rights. Thank you!

[tbyg52]

70. Yep

Reminds me of the (horrible) stories about jazz musicians traveling through the South in the 30's and 40's, I believe it was. (The stories described in _Bird Lives!_ for example.)

I don't understand people who can behave so abominably toward people who are not hurting them in any way, regarding doings that are none of their business. I live here, and I'll never understand it.

[FloridaJudy]

29. This turns my stomach

What possible excuse could there be to deny a dying woman the comfort of her chosen family? As a nurse, I can't even begin to express how horrified I feel. Damn it, hospitals need to show some compassion and get rid of rules that make patients and their families suffer even more.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. But, remember, the "time isn't right" for civil rights and marriage equality.

"You people", along with the atheists and the pro-choicers, are alienating the all-powerful :eyes: "Values Voters". You really need to wait, you know, another 10, 20, 30 years before pushing that "marriage" and "equality" stuff down middle Merka's throat.

Oh, and :sarcasm:.

[BreweryYardRat]

35. This makes me very ashamed of my state.

That social worker needs to be fired and FAST.

[Madspirit]

36. k&r

Something I worry about continually.

Lee

[theHandpuppet]

38. This seems an appropriate time to dip into my journal

and repost an item from 2006....

(from theHandpuppet's journal)
The next time you hear reports of anti-gay persecution in Iran or other primarlily ME Muslim countries, reports of human rights violations which seem to come to light only when the Bushreich wants to paint their next target(s) as hot beds of intolerance and religous extremism, consider this:

http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/25/iran12535.ht...

United Nations: U.S. Aligned With Iran in Anti-Gay Vote
Rice Must Explain Repressive UN Ban on LGBT Rights Groups

(Washington, D.C., January 25, 2006) - In a reversal of policy, the United States on Monday backed an Iranian initiative to deny United Nations consultative status to organizations working to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, a coalition of 40 organizations, led by the Human Rights Campaign, Human Rights Watch, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called for an explanation of the vote which aligned the United States with governments that have long repressed the rights of sexual minorities.

This vote is an aggressive assault by the U.S. government on the right of sexual minorities to be heard. It is astonishing that the Bush administration would align itself with Sudan, China, Iran and Zimbabwe in a coalition of the homophobic.

“This vote is an aggressive assault by the U.S. government on the right of sexual minorities to be heard,” said Scott Long, director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch. “It is astonishing that the Bush administration would align itself with Sudan, China, Iran and Zimbabwe in a coalition of the homophobic.”

MORE

Or this: "AFA has advocate for executing gays and abortion providers on its radio show" http://pandagon.net/2006/02/14/afa-has-advocate-for-exe... /

Or this:
Tue, Feb 14, 2006 11:08am EST
American Family Association opened its airwaves to advocate for executing gays, adulterers, abortion doctors
Summary: Far-right Christian author and American Vision president Gary DeMar was the guest on the February 2 edition of American Family Radio's Today's Issues. In the past, DeMar has advocated the installation of a theocratic government in the United States in which homosexuals, adulterers, and abortion doctors would be executed.

Or this: http://blog01.kintera.com/christianalliance/archives/20...
"Other groups, such as the Alliance Defense Fund, the Coalition on Revival and the Council for National Policy have very close ties to the Reconstructionists. The ADF, which was founded by evangelicals such as the late Bill Bright of Campus Crusade and D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, as well as the late Larry Burkett of Crown Financial Concepts which is the fundamentalist’s version of the ACLU, brings the Reconstructionists to teach law students in their summer Blackstone Fellowship program, including such figures as George Grant, who advocates the execution of homosexuals in his book Legislating Immorality, and Gary DeMar who would also execute adulterers, women who seek abortions, and the doctors that perform them. The Coalition on Revival, which openly advocates the closing of public schools and abolishing the IRS, has detailed position paper on its web site outlining what and why they believe that the Bible should be the basis of all law and government. "

Or these "men of God" who advocate castration or execution of gays: http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1092.sh...

How about this GOP candidiate who advocates death for gays? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/25/5445/1320

Video: Republican candidate supports EXECUTION of GAYS
by scottmaui
Mon Oct 25, 2004 at 02:04:45 AM PDT

You've got to watch this video.
My Democratic state Senator here on Maui, J. Kalani English, has a Republican running against him named Robb Finberg, a Pastor for the Christian Fellowship Church.
In this video, Finberg actually says that he would support a law for the execution of people found guilty of performing homosexual acts.
Yes, that's right, he favors the death penalty for gays.

Watch the video here:
http://mikegabbard.info/rob_finberg.htm

Here's some spiritual leadership for you...
http://www.counterbias.com/679.html

Even today, in the first decade of the twenty-first century, some Christian fundamentalists continue the call for hatred and the violence that inevitably follows. Although not calling for their execution, Rev. Lou Sheldon, founder and chairman of the rabidly homophobic Traditional Values Coalition, has claimed gays and lesbians need “an exorcism” and has called for their segregation into “cities of refuge” (aka “concentration camps”).

"Another notorious homophobe is Dr. D. James Kennedy, president of Coral Ridge Ministries. His former vice president, George Grant, wrote Legislating Immorality, a sermonic tome that included a fire-and-brimstone rant on America’s abandonment of a Scripture-inspired death penalty for homosexuality.

And then there’s Michael Marcavage of Repent America, a radical fundamentalists organization, who claims he’s not calling for the extermination of gays, but some take his words to mean just that. At least fellow “Christian” crusader (and certified wing-nut) Rev. Fred Phelps – of “GodHatesFags.com” infamy – is blunt about his desire to execute gay Americans.

So to sum it up, the next time the Bushreich steps up its campaign to paint its enemies in the ME as barbaric persecutors of gays (and we know they will use gays to suit any political purpose), remember that it's perfectly predictable for them to point fingers elsewhere whilst committing or tolerating persecution and hate crimes right here at home. In fact, in its virulent war against gays, this government has aligned itself with countries like Iran and against its own tradtional allies in Europe.

Hate and intolerance is unacceptable anywhere, but the next time the PR machine for the Bushreich starts pointing fingers at nation's half a world away simply to serve their own agenda, let's call them on their own record here at home. Let's demand that domestic terrorists embedded within organizations such as the AFA and elsewhere be exposed for the religious extremists THEY are.

Finally, GET THE FACTS AND FIGHT BACK!
http://www.hatecrime.org/index.html
http://gaylife.about.com/od/hatecrimes/a/statistics.htm
http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/02/uniform...
http://www.glaad.org /
http://www.lambda.org/hatecr1.htm
http://www.stophate.us/hcpa.html
http://www.pridesource.com/article.shtml?article=16949

[progressoid]

40. O.M.G. What a horrible thing to do.

[lonestarnot]

41. Did she beat the shit out of the motherfucker?

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. What would that have accomplished?

:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

45. Made her think twice before she touted, "Florida is ''an anti-gay state."

[kdmorris]

69. Nit-picky, but..

"Langbehn told The Miami Herald the social worker's name -- Garnett Frederick."

Garnett Frederick is a man.

[lonestarnot]

75. well him then.

[enigmatic]

42. this is disgusting

And I feel so sorry for this family...

[Rosemary2205]

44. Isn't that normal procedure even for hetero couples?

((donning the flame proof suit))

I was on a joint vacation with an aunt and uncle when he had a heart attack. Auntie was kept out of the room for a whole hour while they desperately tried to save him to no avail. She didn't get to hold his hand while he died either because the hospital staff were trying to save him, not sit there lovingly and watch him die.


I had the same thing with my own husband. We had a terrible car accident. Hit down a big cliff off the freeway by a drunken driver. I did not have any head injuries but my spine was crushed. My husband had massive head injuries and was flirting with death for weeks. I was crying like a baby begging to see him once I was stable and was constantly told they are still working on him. My bed was wheeled into his room the next day for a few minutes. Down the road one of the ER nurses who worked on him told me even if I'd been ambulatory or unharmed it would have been quite a few hours before I would have been able to see him post surgery because they were in such a rush with him that I would be in the way. If he had died in surgery then I'd not have had a chance to say goodbye either.


When there is a medical crisis the hospital is not going to invite you in to hold your loved one's hand while they just stand around and watch someone die. They are going to shove you out of the way, pull out all the stops and try to save your loved ones life.

[Lex]

46. You were kept out due to medical procedures in process, right?

Did you read the OP--that is not what happened in this case.

[Rosemary2205]

48. Yes I read it.

I guess I just view it differently and though I have no doubt there are problems all over the country with gay couples being treated inhumanely in hospitals I wonder about this case. Obviously it's a case of "he said/she said" - the woman says she was told "this is an anti-gay state" and the hospital says "this social worker isn't like that". Since I don't know either of these people I don't know who to believe. I'm just saying, in my experience, it's common to keep the loved ones away until it's time to call the priest.........

[Lex]

49. Speaking from personal experience myself

it's not "common to keep the loved ones away until it's time to call the priest." ONLY IF the doctors and nurses are in the middle of working on the patient, that's one thing and I understand that.

It doesn't sound like that's what happened in this case, but hopefully the truth will come out or at least at the minimum this situation will shed some light.

[EFerrari]

47. I hate these people. n/t

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

50. "Anti-gay," but apparently "anti-family" too...

...whether they'll admit it or not. Of course they wouldn't have done this if the couple were straight, even if they weren't married. Imagine the pain that her partner and their kids are dealing with from all of this - that social worker single-handedly took away the rights of this family to be with one of their own. Even with legal documentation! WTF gives here??? I hope that this opens up the minds of legislators, some of whom need to realize that a "modern family" doesn't necessarily look like the Cleavers in the 1950's.

[wicket]

51. Effing infuriating

Gay people are not second class citizens!!!! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[yardwork]

52. The social worker is male and the hospital claims that it didn't happen.

From the article:

Frederick, 54, ''strongly denies making the comments,'' says JMH's VP of public relations, Robert Alonso. Alonso says Pond was at Ryder Trauma Center, where doctors delivered ''immediate emergency clinical interventions.'' That accounts for any delay in Langbehn seeing Pond, Alonso says. ``We have a very liberal visitation policy. As soon as it's humanly possible and appropriate to bring in visitors, we do.''

Langbehn, 38, says JMH did an about-face hours later when she said Pond had wanted to be an organ donor. ''They finally started talking to me.'' Pond's heart, liver and kidneys were used in transplants, Langbehn says.

Insists Langbehn: 'It happened. He said it. It's not that I want anyone to get in trouble. I want couples to be able to hold their dying partners' hands. That is what was taken away from me. I didn't get to say goodbye, and neither did our kids.''

Frederick, who has a doctorate in social welfare from Florida International University, has worked at Jackson for 16 years and has been honored for his work. Frederick's supervisor calls him a ''strong patient advocate, experienced and extremely compassionate,'' Alonso says.

It needs to be investigated. Something went terribly wrong. If it wasn't discrimination against the lesbian couple then it was an indefensible breakdown in communication between the hospital and a woman's dying family.

[terrya]

55. If it didn't happen, then why wasn't Janice Langbehn allowed to see her partner?

Yes, goddammit, this needs to be investigated. And some firings need to happen. And a big fucking apology.

[yardwork]

63. Yes, that's a very good question.

It needs to be investigated, because something went terribly wrong. Nobody should be denied access to their dying partner unless there is a really good reason for it, and bigotry isn't a good reason. Her children were denied access to her as well. This is wrong on so many levels.

I did want to correct the impression that some posters had that the social worker was a woman. In this case the social worker in question is male.

[Malidictus Maximus]

68. Another place where second amendment rights come into

If ANYONE told me that I couldn't see my wife in such a situation they'd best be wearing head to toe kevlar. I really wouldn't hesitate to splatter someone who got between me and my partner on the basis of their own value judgement- it'd be the LAST value judgement they ever made.
I may be straight but I wish that EVERY GLBT person had a firearm and wasn't afraid to use it; the only good bigot is a dead bigot.

[RebelOne]

53. I don't know about Florida being an anti-guy state,

but South Florida is definitely not anti-gay. I think there are more gays there than anywhere else in the U.S. Take a ride to Coconut Grove or Key West. Plus, when I lived there, I had many gay friends.

[terrya]

54. Fuck the state of Florida for letting this happen.

And that social worker, sad to say, is right. Florida IS anti-gay. Thanks, in large part, to their former Governor, Jeb Bush.

My good thoughts to Lisa and Janice and their family.

[Solly Mack]

56. ...

criminal

[redqueen]

57. *sigh*

i would like to say i can't believe it... but sadly, i can
:(

[dsc]

58. This is what happens when loving couples are legal strangers

I can't imagine how often this ends up happening.

[terrya]

59. If this isn't an argument for marriage equality, I don't know what is.

Yes, you're right. The tragically sad thing about this is that goes on all the time in this country.

[northofdenali]

60. These stories make me cry. I'm straight, and can just imagine

living in a fundie atmosphere where, if I weren't married to my partner, I wouldn't be allowed to see him if he was dying. I can't believe the grief, the sorrow, this poor woman is experiencing, and their children must be in agony. The "social worker" (aka Hitler's minion) should, at the very least, be fired. I personally would like to get her alone. Just for a few minutes. I may be little, but I am VERY VERY mean when it comes to this shit.

Family values, huh? Pro-life, huh? "For the Children", huh? BULLSHIT



To all my gay, lesbian and transgendered friends - I'm still working for true equality for EVERYONE. One day, it will happen, one day. (on edit) Please, please protect yourselves and your partners by going ASAP to an attorney and getting NOT general power-of-attorney, DURABLE power-of-attorney and be sure to include the medical designation. Additionally, get your wills drawn up and be sure the attorney videotapes your consent to the will's contents. I've seen, personally, a case where there was no will - the partners had been together for over 20 years - when one passed away, his FAMILY (whom he hadn't seen since 1980, the year he came out) inherited. His partner was left with only the house, because it was held jointly.

Protect yourselves legally, because God knows our government isn't going to do it.

[Cha]

61. It is fucked up!

Fucking woman had no business being a "social worker".

[Zuiderelle]

64. What.... The..... FUCK!

I hope this wakes people the hell up now. Damn it to hell.

[treestar]

65. Wow, that's some rotten stuff

When somebody's dying, it is not time to dust off the rule book and enforce its every technicality, either.

Damn rightwing nutjobs will do anything to anybody in the name of their "morality."

[Zuiderelle]

66. I will never go to Florida on vacation. Ever.

They don't allow gay citizens to adopt, and now this. Fuck Florida.

[terrya]

67. Neither will I.

This shit is inexcusible. Fuck Florida.

[mzmolly]

71. Horrible

beyond words.

[southern_belle]

72. Maybe it's just me, but

this sounds like a crime against humanity. This is a SOCIAL WORKER???? She should have her license pulled. How can someone be so unfeeling, inhumane, and anti-christian??? I hope she can pursue a lawsuit against this woman and this hospital! :grr: