CNN Poll: Hospital visitation rights for gay and lesbian partners?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Agree 87% 323647

Disagree 13% 50118

I mean really?

Who in the hell is against loved ones being able to have hospital visitation for someone who is ill or had surgery.

That's quite pathetic.

[zenaxe 22]

Agree 87% 323647

Disagree 13% 50118

I mean really?

Who in the hell is against loved ones being able to have hospital visitation for someone who is ill or had surgery.

That's quite pathetic.

This is such backwards , oppressive and discriminatory thinking ....I understand that 40 years ago in the USA there were unconstitutional laws prohibiting interracial marriages and those were eventually struck down by the courts. I think the issue of gay and lesbian marriage will also follow that path. Looking back now, can anyone truly, well sane people that is, argue that people shouldn't marry regardless of race, religion, gender etc?

The anti gay everything mostly comes from the religious right - you know, the ones that bleet on about gov't taking away our freedoms and demandingg that gov't should not play a big role in our lives, ,and then these same people want gov't to control and legislate gays and lesbians and the right for a woman to choose and a host of things.

Loved ones visiting at a hospital requires legislation? Holy cow, what century are we living in????

[trailmix 77]

Yes it's amazing that people would have an opinion that flies in the face of any type of common sense, compassion or reasoning.

[Calypso 464]

Hospital visitation rights for gay and lesbian partners?

Why is that an issue at all? It's not like gays and lesbians come from outer space.

[LaL 418]

It's not even just about gays/lesbians! What about heterosexual life partners who choose not to marry for whatever reason? Do these people really prefer to have hospital policies tell them who they can see? Is it really just that they hate the gheys THAT much? Because otherwise I can't see why anyone would be against this.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Straight non-married partners can be prevented from visiting so gays will have more rights? weird

[LaL 418]

Straight non-married partners can be prevented from visiting so gays will have more rights? weird

How does this take away rights from hetero non-married couples? This mandate will apply to more than just partners in a same sex relationship.

[Jenn! 918]

I guess the thinking is that granting any rights whatsoever to homosexuals is giving society's seal of appproval and encourages our youths to "choose" that lifestyle.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

How does this take away rights from hetero non-married couples? This mandate will apply to more than just partners in a same sex relationship.

I hope it does. Do you know for sure?

[SuperDuper! 230]

I hope it does. Do you know for sure?

Hey Galt, how does it feel to finally get rid of those Gallstones that plagued you for so long. That was weird....

[alienlovechild 75]

It's not even just about gays/lesbians! What about heterosexual life partners who choose not to marry for whatever reason? Do these people really prefer to have hospital policies tell them who they can see? Is it really just that they hate the gheys THAT much? Because otherwise I can't see why anyone would be against this.

Well since no one here can even speculate why hospitals prohibited same sex couples from visitation rights and I couldn't find any source stating the rationale behind the policy, I'd say it's been one poorly covered topic with a one sided view.

[Danno 1,228]

This whole things has been nothing more than a PR stunt for gays, I'mean come on now, hospitals make their own rules on these issues, if the Gay club wanted this changed all it would have took was about two hours in front of any (offending) hospital which would garner the needed bad press to make this rule change. But did anyone ever see Gays confront the local Hospitals who still had this rule?

Now that that issue is gone, it removes one of the oft heard (and sympathized with) "hardships" we were told unmarried homosexuals must endure (yada, yada).

The next faux issue I hope they strike down is this myth that Gay folks just have no legal means to divide up property when one dies.

I guess we are led to believe Homosexuals are not aware how easy it is to do a will, so I propose one of those "check-off" box things when you get your drivers license.

-Would you like to donate your organs

-Would you like to register to vote

-If you die without a will, who should be first in line for your Barry Manilow CD's and other #######?

See how easy it is?

No need to start down the path of -trying to decide what combinations of peeps are the stopping point for what a Marriage is.

[sciencenerd 56]

This whole things has been nothing more than a PR stunt for gays, I'mean come on now, hospitals make their own rules on these issues, if the Gay club wanted this changed all it would have took was about two hours in front of any (offending) hospital which would garner the needed bad press to make this rule change. But did anyone ever see Gays confront the local Hospitals who still had this rule?

Now that that issue is gone, it removes one of the oft heard (and sympathized with) "hardships" we were told unmarried homosexuals must endure (yada, yada).

The next faux issue I hope they strike down is this myth that Gay folks just have no legal means to divide up property when one dies.

I guess we are led to believe Homosexuals are not aware how easy it is to do a will, so I propose one of those "check-off" box things when you get your drivers license.

-Would you like to donate your organs

-Would you like to register to vote

-If you die without a will, who should be first in line for your Barry Manilow CD's and other #######?

Wow. Besides your obvious bigotry, you are woefully uninformed. The day before this came out, a policy change at one specific hospital that allowed a woman to die while her partner or 17 years and their 4 children were in the waiting room was announced. This took a lot more than 2 hours - in fact, it took years of large amounts of publicity and several national organizations and politicians getting involved. That was 1 hospital. These women had all the paperwork you claim solves these problems, yet it did not matter. Bigotry never listens to reason (and your "reasons" here are a perfect example of that).

See how easy it is?

No need to start down the path of -trying to decide what combinations of peeps are the stopping point for what a Marriage is.

[Danno 1,228]

<<<<Wow. Besides your obvious bigotry, you are woefully uninformed. The day before this came out, a policy change at one specific hospital that allowed a woman to die while her partner or 17 years and their 4 children were in the waiting room was announced. This took a lot more than 2 hours - in fact, it took years of large amounts of publicity and several national organizations and politicians getting involved. That was 1 hospital. These women had all the paperwork you claim solves these problems, yet it did not matter. Bigotry never listens to reason (and your "reasons" here are a perfect example of that).

See how easy it is?>>>>

Lets see how uninformed I am.

Tell me how you know about this one unfortunate case?

Do you believe this is "typical" in hospitals across the country .... or are you citing one story which made head lines.

I'll wait for your linking of that story for us.

[peejay 327]

This whole things has been nothing more than a PR stunt for gays...

Bingo! Along with Lefty political theatrics from the administration. Come on now...an executive order from the PotUS? As if this is right up there in importance with all the other pressing issues in the world? Gee...this has got to be an earth shattering issue effecting billions of Americans to require special attention from the PotUS himself.

So what proof does it take to get visitation rights? Just show up at the nurses' station and claim to be someone's gay lover? Show an ID with the same address as the patient? Political theatrics indeed! This is just a pacifier for the gay cheerleader crowd.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think a lot of this nonsense could be addressed before an illness by other means. You do not have to be related or married to designate someone to handle your affairs. Just like people create living wills to legally state their wishes if they are not able to.

Here's a good read on the motivation:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041604772_pf.html