In the good old state of North Carolina, the deluge is under way in a grand old fashion.

Both the house and the senate in that state now have bills before them that are--per the declarations of their supporters--aimed at protecting the sanctity of marriage.

Will it prohibit child-abusers from marrying? No. Will it prevent those with fifteen divorces from entering their sixteenth union? No. Will it, of all things, prohibit same-sex couples from marrying?

No.

Same-sex marriages are already outlawed in the State of North Carolina.

What do these bills do then?

Well, it would prevent any form of legal recognition between gay partners, even some privately created documents. Here in the state of Washington, any two people can take title of property as, "Joint tenants with rights of survivorship." This particular legal phrase grants immediate full ownership to either person in the case of the other's death. It's used to keep other individuals (namely the deceased family and heirs) from tying up ownership of the property in probable proceedings and legal wrangling when the INTENT of both parties in possession is for the other to gain fee title in toto in case of just such an occurrence. Any two people can do this. They don't have to be gay.

I'm sure the state of North Carolina has similar provisions, although should these bills pass into law, if it can be proved that the couple is gay, said protections would no longer apply.

If a private company sponsors health insurance for domestic partners, they could renege paying out in North Carolina.

If someone grants something to someone in a will, if it's granted to a gay partner, said will could be adjudicated null and void.

If a private contract is drawn up between gay partners, it could be considered null and void.

If one gay partner is in an accident and is incapacitated and goes to the hospital, the power-of-attorney that lets their partner make medical decisions for them could be invalidated.

If a lesbian couple raise a child together and the biological mother dies, the child goes into foster care and the other mother who raised this child, who changed this child's diapers, who taught them right from wrong; this woman would not be able to even see the child.

These are protections guaranteed to every citizen of the state of North Carolina, and they want to take these away from someone if they are gay.

So, all your children have to do if they determine that they don't like your will is declare that you were gay and living in a gay relationship with that same-sex person you left some money to.

In other words, friends and neighbors, the State is declaring gay individuals as second-class citizens without the rights guaranteed under law as everyone else.

So, when the Christian right gains power, the legal precedent is in place to deny these rights to the Jewish community, or the Mormons, or the Catholics,

Or to you.

Be careful who you target for discrimination. In the end, you're just targeting yourself.

(Many thanks to my brilliant niece Sara for alerting me to this.)

Joseph Haines, signing off from The Edge of the Abyss.