Massachusetts Causing Trouble Again

[ClydeR]

The feds gave a Massachusetts veterans cemetery association a $19 million grant for veterans cemeteries in Massachusetts. The only catch was that the cemetery association could use the cemeteries only for veterans and their spouses, as defined by federal law, which means no homosexuals. Soon afterward, Massachusetts changed its law to allow homosexuals to get "married."

Now the feds reasonably say that the Massachusetts cemetery association must give back the $19 million because they are burying homosexuals in the cemeteries in violation of the grant agreement. Does Massachusetts honor their agreement and give the money back? No, of course not. They're suing, asking the courts to change the law. Changing the law, if it needs to be changed, should be the job of Congress, not the courts.


As for the veterans cemeteries, from 1999 to 2003 the state received $19 million in federal funding through a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grant program for the two veterans cemeteries — located in Agawam and Winchendon — which are reserved exclusively for veterans and their spouses.

According to Coakley’s lawsuit, in response to an inquiry by the state Department of Veterans’ Services after Massachusetts made same-sex marriages legal in 2003, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs said that if a same-sex spouse of a veteran is buried in one of those cemeteries the federal “VA would be entitled to recapture Federal grant funds” given to the state Department of Veterans’ Services for the Agawam and/or Winchendon cemeteries.

According to Coakley’s lawsuit, more than 1,000 rights of Massachusetts residents in same-sex marriages were violated. The lawsuit cites a federal Government Accounting Office report filed in 1997 and updated in 2004, which identified 1,138 statutory provisions in which marital status is a factor in determining eligibility for or entitlement to federal benefits, rights and privileges.

More... (http://www.wickedlocal.com/melrose/news/business/x1885899270/Melroses-Clark-Tisei-back-state-s-challenge-of-federal-marriage-law)

They should either dig up the homosexuals and move them to another cemetery where they won't be next to veterans, or they should give back the money. If the cemetery associations don't have enough money to repay $19 million, then they have only one choice -- to get out the shovels.

It's the law, no matter what they think about it in Massachusetts. The Obama administration appears to agree with me. They've been defending the federal law in other courts.

[Bobmuhthol]

I fucking hate Martha Coakley and I still think she's right.

[Androidpk]

How does the Federal government know gay veterans are being married there, what about don't ask don't tell?

[kookiegod]

My parents are buried in the Agawam cemetary, and proud they buried in a cemetary which is in the greatest country on Earth, the land of the free and home of the brave, where according to the Constitution 'all men are created equal..' Where I shall be someday.

Your hate mongering is ridiculous. MA has every right to allow the burial of ANY veteran or spouse without regard to sex or sexual preference.

~Paul

[Bobmuhthol]

<<How does the Federal government know gay veterans are being married there, what about don't ask don't tell?>>

????????????????

They're being buried. It's pretty well documented whether the spouse of a veteran is the same sex.

<<MA has every right to allow the burial of ANY veteran or spouse without regard to sex or sexual preference.>>

This is kind of irrelevant, and no one is challenging it.

[ClydeR]

My parents are buried in the Agawam cemetary, and proud they buried in a cemetary which is in the greatest country on Earth, the land of the free and home of the brave, where according to the Constitution 'all men are created equal..'

The Constitution certainly doesn't say that, and I can assure you -- though you should already know the history without any assurances from me --that most of the Founding Fathers didn't believe any such thing.

[Androidpk]

They're being buried. It's pretty well documented whether the spouse of a veteran is the same sex.

That goes against the whole don't ask don't tell policy. Getting married would be documented proof and grounds for a discharge.

[Androidpk]

BTW, big props to Massachusetts for standing up to the federal government.

[Bobmuhthol]

I don't understand your point at all. Dead servicemen are not active servicemen; this has nothing to do with the military.

[4a6c1]

BTW, big props to Massachusetts for standing up to the federal government.



Totally. BIG props to them. That is AWESOME. And then they should secede from the union. That would be big props awesome too.

[ElvenFury]

Totally. BIG props to them. That is AWESOME. And then they should secede from the union. That would be big props awesome too.

You can't get rid of us that easily.

[Androidpk]

I don't understand your point at all. Dead servicemen are not active servicemen; this has nothing to do with the military.

Veteran cemeteries are for veterans last time I checked.

[radamanthys]

Gay warrior zombies. They'll buttfuck your brains out. And then eat them.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Veteran cemeteries are for veterans last time I checked.>>

The military does not revoke your veteranship after you've been discharged and get married last time I checked.

Since no one else is questioning whether people can be gay, married, and a veteran, I don't think you're right.

[Geshron]

The Constitution certainly doesn't say that, and I can assure you -- though you should already know the history without any assurances from me --that most of the Founding Fathers didn't believe any such thing.

You should be really careful in regards to that. Study your "founding fathers" a bit more closely instead of believing they are right-winged Patriots of Moral Righteousness. Holy shit, are you stupid.

[Renian]

You should be really careful in regards to that. Study your "founding fathers" a bit more closely instead of believing they are right-winged Patriots of Moral Righteousness. Holy shit, are you stupid.

He's right on the Constitution not saying it though. The Declaration of Independence does.

However, considering that was signed by 56 of our founding fathers, to say that they do not believe it makes me lol.

[kookiegod]

You should be really careful in regards to that. Study your "founding fathers" a bit more closely instead of believing they are right-winged Patriots of Moral Righteousness. Holy shit, are you stupid.

Bingo...

Sheesh, while 'don't ask, don't tell' is the current policy of the government, there is no mention of anything about it in the Constitution. In fact, its very well documented from the days of Greece, Rome, and yes, early America, that it was a very common practice of the aristocracy to have the services of a 'boy' let alone taking the maids as well.

Gimme a break Clyde, learn your history.

~Paul

[Latrinsorm]

Isn't it depressing that Massachusetts alone spent $4 million dollars a year burying people?

[Geshron]

Isn't it depressing that Massachusetts alone spent $4 million dollars a year burying people?

Yes. And that there is debate on moral ground about it, etc., etc. I would never live there just for the plain idiocy in this entire issue.

[radamanthys]

Isn't it depressing that Massachusetts alone spent $4 million dollars a year burying people?

*sigh*

Yea.

[ClydeR]

He's right on the Constitution not saying it though. The Declaration of Independence does.

However, considering that was signed by 56 of our founding fathers, to say that they do not believe it makes me lol.

Do you seriously believe that the Founding Fathers believed in homosexual "marriage"? I try to respect the opinions of everyone here, which is why I go so far out of my way to be polite, but sometimes you don't make it easy. The Founding Father's belief in equality is undoubtedly why they unanimously approved of a Constitution that said a black men was treated by the law as 3/5ths of a white man and that women could not vote.

Even if the Constitution did say that all men are created equal, which it doesn't, homosexuals are already treated equally. They have the same right to marry as anyone else.

[Androidpk]

<<Veteran cemeteries are for veterans last time I checked.>>

The military does not revoke your veteranship after you've been discharged and get married last time I checked.

Since no one else is questioning whether people can be gay, married, and a veteran, I don't think you're right.

Gotcha. For some reason I was just thinking of active duty deaths.

[ClydeR]

They don't have to dig up the homosexual veteran, just his "spouse." There's no reason they have to be buried together, since they're not really married anyway.

[Androidpk]

They don't have to dig up the homosexual veteran, just his "spouse." There's no reason they have to be buried together, since they're not really married anyway.

1. Completely disrespectful.

2. No politician would ever sign off on that, career suicide.

[ClydeR]

1. Completely disrespectful.

2. No politician would ever sign off on that, career suicide.

Hasn't hurt the Pope's career, even though it ended in a Geraldo moment..



Potential Saint, Cardinal John Henry Newman, was probably gay

”They were inseparable, they lived together for half a century, effectively like husband and wife. There were repeated allegations during [Newman's] lifetime about his circle of homosexual friends. It is uncertain whether their relationship involved sex. It is quite likely that both men had a gay orientation but chose to abstain from sexual relations. But abstinence does not alter a person’s sexual orientation.”

More from a very biased source... (http://brucegarrett.com/brucelog/1747)



At his own request, Newman was buried in the same grave as Ambrose St John. He had stated on three occasions his desire to be buried with his friend, including shortly before his death in 1890: "I wish, with all my heart, to be buried in Fr Ambrose St John’s grave - and I give this as my last, my imperative will", he wrote, later adding: "This I confirm and insist on."



The Vatican announced plans this month to move Newman’s remains from a small gravesite in the central English town of Rednal to a specially built sarcophagus in the Oratory Church of Birmingham, where, officials say, they will be more accessible for venerating faithful.

But when they opened the grave, only dust remained.



The plot, at the Oratory House, Rednal, near Birmingham, was excavated on Thursday at the Vatican’s instruction.

His remains were to have been moved to the Birmingham Oratory, in preparation for Newman’s anticipated beatification.

Newman’s body may have decomposed, as his coffin was not lead-lined. Its absence will not affect the progress of his cause in Rome, a spokesman said.


Newman was actually laid to rest, per his wishes, in St. John’s tomb. That’s what makes the joke Ivereigh mentions of particular interest. Regardless of whether their relationship ever became a physical one, Newman clearly and deeply loved St. John. That’s why his body had to be removed from St. John’s tomb before he could be canonized.

If Massachusetts is going go comply with the law, they need to act now, before it's too late and they have an embarrassing experience like the one the Pope had.

[4a6c1]

Gay warrior zombies. They'll buttfuck your brains out. And then eat them.

so awesome

:lol2:

[Geshron]

Read about the Papal vote. If you have any concept of the wizardry involved in their election, what comes after their election is equally arcane, and amusing. The very concept of it is ludicrous and defies American politics and how elections are won and lost. Apples and imaginary oranges, buddy.

[ElvenFury]

http://th07.deviantart.net/fs47/300W/i/2009/171/f/e/Successful_Troll_by_Seijimei.jpg

[Geshron]

http://th07.deviantart.net/fs47/300W/i/2009/171/f/e/Successful_Troll_by_Seijimei.jpg

:rofl: