California Lawmakers Initiate New Effort to Legislate Homosexual Marriage
by James L. Lambert
April 8, 2004
(AgapePress) - California State Assemblyman Mark Leno, a Democrat from San Francisco, has put together a coalition of 20 State Assembly members to challenge the present wording of California law that defines traditional marriage. His proposal would eliminate the words "a man and a woman" from the law and replace it with "persons" in the state charter defining marriage.
If passed, Assembly Bill 1976 -- co-authored by Leno -- will effectively overturn Proposition 22, a measure that was approved by 4.6 million voters (61% of all California voters) four years ago. Proposition 22, which defines marriage as "between a man and a woman," was overwhelmingly approved in March 2000 by 62% of black voters, 65% of Latino voters, and 59% of Asian voters. The measure passed in 52 of 58 counties in the Golden State.
Los Angeles radio talk-show host Paul McGuire understands that liberal, homosexual activists like Leno will always be out there. In an interview this week McGuire conceded that "it is the job of the gay activists to be politically active. They are dedicated to their cause. They are committed to their cause."
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Paul McGuire |
By his own admission, McGuire concedes that he admires the "persistence" of pro-homosexual activists. While he very much disagrees with AB 1967, he maintains that "the problem is not the left or the gay activists." The problem, in his thinking, is people who calls themselves conservative or Christians but will not actively support traditional marriage. "It is the responsibility of Christian churches to promote [traditional] marriage," McGuire admits. "The problem is that [Christians], for the most part, do not support the things they believe in." While there are several national non-profit organizations that actively and politically support traditional marriage -- such as Focus on the Family, American Family Association, Traditional Values Coalition, and the American Center for Law & Justice -- the talk-show host points out that such groups cannot succeed unless they are strongly supported by Christians nationwide.
McGuire reflects on some of the thinking that Christian author Francis Schaeffer espoused more than 20 years ago. Schaeffer, according to McGuire, predicted that "the evangelical culture would gradually refuse to stand for the truth." Their inaction in society would result in "a very quick slide into moral chaos," says McGuire, paraphrasing Schaeffer.
McGuire is convinced that pastors need to actively communicate to their congregations the necessity of supporting traditional marriage. If they choose not to do that, he feels the result will be a "spiritual fallout that could very well end in the loss of their religious freedoms."
For example, a minister in Canada is being criminally investigated for quoting Old Testament passages dealing with the sin of homosexuality. Prosecutors contend the minister's comments could be construed as "hate speech."
McGuire urges individuals who agree with him on this issue to contact him via his website and to support the efforts of the groups listed above that are on the front lines in the battle for traditional marriage. The pro-family Campaign for California Families has been steadfast in its defense of traditional marriage in the Golden State.
James L. Lambert, who resides in San Diego, California, is a frequent contributor to AgapePress. He is the author of Porn in America (Huntington House), which can be purchased through the American Family Association; and a licensed loan sales agent who offers all types of real-estate mortgage loans. He can be reached via his website: JamesLLambert.com.
