This story of Sonoma, California’s Clay Green, 77, and Harold Scull, 88, partners for 20 years, who were denied hospital visitation with each other, saw their home and belongings sold off by the county, and separated in the last months of Harold’s life — all because, yep, their relationship was invisible to officials — is just heart-wrenching. Let its justice not be.
Mike
I’ve just read the story.
I am shocked, .. well shocked isn’t even the word for it.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
This is why so many states don’t wnat equal marriage. How many millions of dollars does the state stela each year from couples? By allowing queer couples to marry legally, that would be one more cash stream shut off to the government. Next time you’re arguing with a “smaller government” rightwinger, tell this story and ask them what they hate more–the state stealing property, or gays getting married.
adman
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: Perhaps the real issue is how much can the state steal from singles in general? It’s simple, just acquire power of attorney over a citizen and declare them “indigent”. Next, go to town with impunity, since people without money for lawyers or relatives to fight for them are simply children, right?
scott ny'er
@adman: This is terrible. Non-married couples shouldn’t have this happen to them. And how can any of us, hetero or homo single people, avoid this, if you don’t have kids? I just took care of a relative who was very sick and if my sibling and I weren’t involved at every point of her care as my relative went from nursing home to hospital and back, I shudder to think what would’ve happened… financially and physically to my relative.
This is a very important post and yet there are THREE comments here. Meanwhile, there are over 150 posts in the Mormon getting married thread. That’s sad.
Liv
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: “Next time you’re arguing with a “smaller government” rightwinger, tell this story and ask them what they hate more–the state stealing property, or gays getting married.” <- Will do.
This is just heart wrenching, though. When I read the story for the first time yesterday I was nearly sick to my stomach.
Eric
All this DESPITE Clay & Harold going through all of the legal processes in order for something like this to NOT happen!
Jaroslaw
It can’t be said often enough – it makes no sense for conservatives to be anti-government, pro-individual freedom and be anti-Gay. It is nobody’s business what two grownups do in private, who they love etc. This is really a no-brainer.
Jaroslaw
From facebook
WHAT CAN I DO?
1) RAISE THE VISIBILITY of what happened to Clay and Harold. Post an article, invite people to become fans of this Page, tell your friends. Contact your local LGBT group and ask them to do the same.
2) CONTACT THE MEDIA:
Visit the following link for a comprehensive list of national media contact phone numbers and email addresses (submitted by Meghan Stabler – thanks, Meghan!):
http://bit.ly/aYlrw0
Don’t forget to contact Rachel Maddow!
The local paper in Sonoma County is the “Press Democrat” (which is owned by The New York Times). Ask them to perform investigative reporting on the Greene v. County of Sonoma case.
Catherine Barnett, executive editor: [email protected]
Newsroom: 1-800-675-5056
Other contact info: http://bit.ly/b3RBiE
Contact Gay Sonoma and ask them to run an article on this: http://www.gaysonoma.com/
Many more press contacts are available here:
http://bit.ly/aYlrw0
3) CONTACT SONOMA COUNTY and let them know what you think of these decisions.
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors:
Phone: (707) 565-2241
Full contact info: http://supervisors.sonoma-county.org/content.aspx?sid=1001&id=1000
Email form: http://bit.ly/9w8eRd
Many more legislator contacts are available here:
http://bit.ly/aYlrw0
Jaroslaw
3) CONTACT SONOMA COUNTY and let them know what you think of these decisions.
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors:
Phone: (707) 565-2241
Full contact info: http://supervisors.sonoma-coun…..mp;id=1000
Email form: http://bit.ly/9w8eRd
Many more legislator contacts are available here:
http://bit.ly/aYlrw0
scott ny'er
i’m not really sure this is a gay/non-gay thing. I think this is more Medicaid/Medicare / insurance / doctor (ie. not very good) / nursing home thing. And this can happen to heteros as well.
DR
The lawsuit can’t bring back the partner, but a message needs to be sent to Sonoma County that these men had legal and binding documents which should have been followed to the letter, not willfully ignored by county officials. This whole situation is disgusting.
Jaroslaw
#10 – Scott, do you really think this happens to married people?
scott ny'er
@Jaroslaw: I do (but I do think them being gay might have contributed also) because of my experience with nursing homes / hospitals / doctors (I hate them all) AND from these post from dan savage blog. (And 6,000 a month. That’s effin’ cheap. Try 9k – 15k for nursing home)
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/04/18/elderly-california-gay-couple-forcibly-separated-abused-robbed-by-county-officials
=======
@60, wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives can’t always avoid this. Courts can and do order even heterosexual married couples to be moved to nursing homes on occasion if they both become incompetent and friends or family can’t ensure their welfare in the home; over time, their dwelling and goods may be sold to pay expenses or satisfy tax liens. So the marriage license isn’t necessarily magical.
@64, good point, depending on the timeline. Since Harold only lived 3 months after his fall, the nursing-home time should have fallen within the 90-day window after initial hospitalization for acute care that is covered by Medicare. I assumed they were quite well off, but depending on how long Clay was in the nursing home before he got released, ~$6000 a month can burn through savings pretty quickly.
======
Joey
I read about this earlier this morning, and have thought about it much throughout the day, and am still so very sad for them. I put myself in their shoes and my heart breaks for them.
Such a sad, sad situation. I pray I never have to face anything like this. I’m tearing up just thinking about this happening to me and the love of my life. NO ONE should ever be treated this way. Such a monumental display of a total lack of any sort of heart or empathy. It hurts that the county took no regards for these men ,their 20 year relationship, or the legal protections they already had for each other. Truely heartwrenching.
rainboltart
Here are the e-mails of the county board of supervisors members, and the Sonoma Wine Association.
I urge you to write them and let them know that swift action including:
Speak out against the county government’s actions so that everyone knows that they personally do not condone this type of act from their local government.
Move swiftly and fairly in trying to undo some of the damage that the county has done.
Insist that all members of the county’s government receive sensitivity training so that they can more easily understand what to do, and not to do in such situations.
Speak to their opinion to their friends and associates so that more people can understand what has happened in Sonoma.
I would include some comment about how you are not comfortable vacationing in a county that commits such horrible acts and how you are not sure you can buy wine grown in an area with such disregard for the love between two people.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
rainboltart
Here is a link to the press release with more information about the story.
http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_Greene_v_SonomaCounty041910
Hyhybt
@scott ny’er: $6,000/month is about right where I live; at least, that’s about what Grandma’s is. But while, as you say, this can happen to married couples “if they both become incompetent,” in this case it happened when one was still OK.
Cory
My soul aches for Harold and Claye… This article demonstrates why nothing less than marriage equality is acceptable! Man, what has happened to California? That used to be a gay person’s refuge…