It seems like such a simple act of compassion - allowing the partners of
committed same-sex couples to make funeral arrangements for their significant
others.  But according to Governor Donald L. Carcieri of Rhode Island, bestowing
this small but vital legal right to gays and lesbians will somehow "degrade"
traditional marriage.  From the Providence Journal:  An opponent of same-sex
marriage, Governor Carcieri has vetoed bill that would have added "domestic
partners'' to the list of people authorized by law to make funeral arrangements
for each other.  In his veto message, Republican Carcieri said: "This bill
represents a disturbing trend over the past few years of the incremental erosion
of the principles surrounding traditional marriage, which is not the preferred
way to approach this issue."