Marriage Defenders Push Hard to Sway FMA Vote Next Week
by Jenni Parker, Bill Fancher, and Allie Martin
July 9, 2004
(AgapePress) - As the U.S. Senate begins consideration of a constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage, Christian and pro-family forces are concentrating their efforts to raise awareness and rally support in the battle to defend traditional marriage.
According to an Associated Press report, sponsors of the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) are pressing forward, even though they acknowledge that they are unlikely to get the two-thirds majority of votes required for the proposed measure to be approved. The vote on the amendment is scheduled for the week of July 12.AP's Jerry Bodlander reports that Senate Republicans are continuing to push for the FMA, arguing that the future of marriage and the well-being of children are at stake. Majority Leader Bill Frist denies the timing of the vote has anything to do with political maneuvering, even though it comes two weeks before the Democrats are to gather in Massachusetts for their national convention. Rather, he and other supporters contend that the push forward was necessitated by the current wave of judicial activism.Frist contends that the constitutional amendment is needed to counter the actions of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that led to that state's becoming the first in the nation to recognize same-sex marriages. "Activist judges have begun and are well along the way of radically redefining what marriage is," he says.
As FMA author Senator Wayne Allard explains, the amendment would prevent that by legally defining marriage as "a union between a man and a woman." Also contained in the language, he says, is "a second sentence that limits the powers of the court and allows the states to proceed forward [to determine] in a democratic process how they want to treat civil unions within their state, or how they want to deal with domestic partnerships."
The public weighs in
Allard warns, however, of the likelihood that some will attempt to make the defense of marriage into a partisan issue or to portray the public as far more divided on the matter than it actually is. However, he calls that a political trick.
"If you go back into your states and you talk to minority groups throughout your state," the senator says, "[If you talk to the] black American community, talk to the Hispanic community, talk to the Asian communities, in addition to the white communities, you're going to find that there's very strong support for defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman."And a coalition of pro-family groups has been gathering proof of that very fact. Several members gathered in Washington, DC, Friday morning for a 10:00 a.m. press conference at Capitol Hill, where they presented a group of lawmakers with 1.4 million petitions in support of an amendment protecting traditional marriage. The petitions were gathered by the American Family Association, the American Center for Law and Justice, and the Center for Reclaiming America.In a visual display of the American people's overwhelming opposition to same-sex marriage, the boxes of petitions were stacked on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol before being delivered to individual Senate offices. Dr. Gary Cass, executive director of the Center for Reclaiming America, says the petitions represent "solid evidence" that the nation's citizens care about defending traditional marriage.
However, Cass admits the pro-family groups are anticipating a tough fight. "We are expecting a filibuster from the anti-marriage forces," he says, adding, "Only an overwhelming grassroots response can save marriage as we now it."
Pro-Family Spokesmen Cry Shame on No-Show Senators
The Center's founder and president, Dr. D. James Kennedy notes that marriage is the bedrock of civilized culture, and that which "cements the social order" of a society. "It is unconscionable that so many in the U.S. Senate are unwilling," he remarks, "at a time when men are already marrying men in Massachusetts, to come to the defense of marriage. Unless we protect and defend marriage in law, our nation will face grim social consequences as marriage weakens and dies."
Another prominent figure in battle to preserve the biblical view of marriage is Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. On Thursday he released the text of the July Focus Action newsletter, which calls on readers to lend their voices and effort in support of the FMA and other pro-family causes. "A virtual meltdown of the culture is under way," he writes, "and a considered response is overdue."
"Our first objective is to work feverishly for passage of the FMA," Dobson asserts. "A distressing number of U.S. senators and congressmen are being cowed by the homosexual lobby and are afraid to support the amendment. Indeed many of them who ran as conservatives are running instead for the tall grass."
The Focus on the Family founder and chairman notes that, as a result of so many lawmakers' propensity to take political cover, it has been difficult to get a firm read on where all of the 100 senators stand on the FMA. However, he notes that, at the time of his writing the newsletter, sources indicated that 64 senators would be voting against the FMA. "Imagine the implications," Dobson says, "of having a couple married in Texas that learns after moving to Connecticut that they are not married in that state. Is this what our timorous representatives want?"
The ministry leader feels lawmakers surely must realize the potential for chaos in allowing for 50 different definitions of marriage across the nation. Nevertheless, he fears that if pro-traditional marriage forces fail to act immediately and decisively, a majority of the Senate will succumb to pressure from homosexual activists. Church Tax-Exempt
Status is Not At Risk
Churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations may support FMA without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status, so long as lobbying activities do not account for more than 5-10% of the organization's overall lobbying budget. Contacting members of Congress to support FMA is permissible lobbying.
Likewise, churches may disseminate written literature concerning FMA, and may inform citizens how particular Senators and Repre-sentatives intend to vote. Pastors and other clergy may preach on the sanctity of marriage, and urge church members to contact their Congressman in support of FMA. — Center for Law & Policy |
Protect Marriage SundayThis Sunday is being set aside as a day to focus on the importance of traditional marriage. July 11 has been named Protect Marriage Sunday, and pro-family leaders are encouraging pastors to give special emphasis to the biblical concept of marriage as a union between one man and one woman for life. And to encourage Christians to follow their awareness with action, the Monday following Protect Marriage Sunday has been designated " Doctor Rick Scarborough, president of Vision America, says it is up to Christians to save marriage from homosexual activists and activist judges. "There needs to be a tempered outrage. Christians should never be out of control," he says, "but there is a time for anger, and right now God's law is being literally trampled on. It's his name that is being slandered.
Scarborough joins other pro-family leaders in insisting that this is a battle too important to lose. He considers the attempt to re-define marriage as an assault on the family and particularly on children and warns, "God help us if we don't stand."
