Beardguy, I purposely haven't responded to this board in a while, because I didn't want to obligate myself to another 20 responses to the inevitable backlash at whatever I say.

So I don't know what you're referring to my having summed up, because I've purposefully kept my own counsel on your comments till now.

I'm not without sympathy for your situation. While clearly I'm not a supporter of the gay lifestyle, I'm certainly understanding of your losing someone you cared about.
I think we've all been there.
I had a friend who died in September who was my closest female friend (Jennifer) for about 13 years. The circumstances of her death appear to be alcohol-related. Her boyfriend, who saw her collapse, said it appeared to be heart attack or stroke. But her autopsy was inconclusive. She was only 36 years old.

So I'm sympathetic to your loss of someone close to you.

But at the same time (on the second and separate issue), I don't support your argument for gay marriage.

As you yourself said, if your partner had a will, the property would have gone to you, regardless of the fact that gay marriage is illegal.

And what happened to you also happens to millions of heterosexual families every year. For precisely the same reason, no will was planned. And while you were obviously the one closest to your friend, there's no will he left to legally establish that.

And I've certainly had the unfortunate experience of observing firsthand many similar parasitic relatives to what you describe, who were not a part of someone's life, and then grubbed for what they could get when the person died. A will can eliminate that, regardless of marital status.

But regardless, I am sorry for the loss of your friend.