Bay State Legislators Ring In Round Two of Debate on Homosexual 'Marriage'
by Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
March 11, 2004
(AgapePress) - The Massachusetts state legislature resumes debate on Thursday on an amendment to protect traditional marriage. The first showdown ended in a draw -- but both sides think this time will be different.
Chapter two of the Massachusetts legislature's battle over legalizing same-sex "marriage" begins today (Thursday) at 2:00 Eastern time. A month ago, a two-day debate settled nothing. And after a month of maneuvering, there appears to be little apparent resolution regarding the volatile issue. Associated Press says House Speaker Tom Finneran and Senate President Robert Travaglini are predicting victory for their constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage but legalize civil unions -- but others say almost anything could happen after the gavel falls.
In November, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 that banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. That state's lawmakers then convened to consider a constitutional amendment addressing the issue. But the national landscape has changed in the month that has passed since that constitutional convention adjourned on February 12. Several mayors have presided over unsanctioned homosexual marriages and President Bush has called for a federal constitutional amendment.
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Genevieve Wood |
But Genevieve Wood of the Washington, DC-based Family Research Council says she expects things to be different this time around in the legislature. "I think the legislators are feeling even more pressure [this time] from the public to come up with something to give the public an opportunity to vote on an amendment that does or does not define marriage -- so I think that's different," the FRC vice president for communications says."And secondly, there's been a special election since this whole issue first came up," she continues. "In that special election, the candidate who supported defining marriage as being between a man and a women won the election -- and I think that may send a message to legislators who were on the fence."
On Wednesday, a coalition of black pastors gathered in the Bay State to voice their objection to homosexuals equating their struggle to legalize same-sex marriage with the struggles African Americans faced in gaining civil rights. Wood was with that gathering of pastors.
"The homosexual community has really tried to wrap itself in the flag of civil rights, if you will," Wood explains. "And what's been interesting in the most recent few weeks is that many black leaders and black pastors have [told homosexual activists that] 'regardless of what you want to say about your cause now, it's not what we went through in the 1960s -- it's not about gaining the right to vote or being able to go to the same schools as everyone else. Those were true debates over civil rights. That's not the issue here.'"
The FRC spokesman says the attempt to make same-sex marriage into a civil rights issue has cost the homosexual community some much needed support in the debate.
Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition has appeared in a number of Massachusetts churches in recent weeks, advising congregations on what they can do to defend traditional marriage. Sheldon says civil unions are "a cheap imitation of marriage" -- and that the people of Massachusetts know that. That is why he is urging the state lawmakers to give Massachusetts' citizens the right to vote on traditional marriage and to vote on civil unions in separate ballot measures to amend the state constitution.
"Some cowardly politicians here are trying to create a ballot measure which would require both marriage and civil unions to be protected equally by the state's constitution," Sheldon says. "Neither those who support marriage nor those who oppose it could vote for such a measure."
The TVC chairman expresses his confidence that, given the opportunity, the people of Massachusetts will "rise up" in support of protecting traditional marriage -- "and I am equally confident that civil unions will be rejected overwhelmingly."
Negative Effect on Society
Ron Crews is director of the Massachusetts Family Institute, a traditional-values group that has been in the forefront of the battle for biblical marriage in that state. In an interview with Associated Press, Crews says society should not endorse unhealthy homosexual relationships. "We are concerned about raising to the same level sexual practices that, quite frankly, are harmful to many Americans and that should not be on the same level as marriage as it's always been defined," the MFI leader says.
Crews points out that homosexual marriage has hurt societies where it is already legal. "Currently in Scandinavia, almost 80 percent of the children are born in homes to unwed parents," he says. "That's one of the byproducts when you devalue the institution of marriage."
And in Nearby New York ...
Meanwhile, AP reports that two Unitarian Universalist ministers who face possible charges for marrying same-sex couples in New Paltz, New York, plan to meet with prosecutors today. Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey conducted a round of weddings Saturday for about two dozen homosexual couples, filling in for New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West.
West performed the first set of same-sex marriages the week before, but is under a temporary court order barring him from conducting more such ceremonies. Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams, who charged West with 19 misdemeanor counts for marrying couples without a license, is reviewing whether the two ministers should also be charged.
Unitarian Universalist ministers have been performing same-sex ceremonies for decades, but a potential issue in this case is whether the weddings were religious or civil ceremonies. The women have been invited to talk with prosecutors about what their intentions were last weekend. Both said yesterday that they viewed them as civil ceremonies, and would consider officiating at more homosexual weddings despite potential criminal charges.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
