Connecticut Voluntarily Sanctions 'Civil Unions' for Homosexuals
by Jody Brown
April 21, 2005
(AgapePress) - It didn't take the courts to do it this time. The Republican governor of Connecticut signed a "civil union" bill on Wednesday (April 20), making it the third state in the U.S. to legalize some form of same-sex relationship.
Interestingly, the new law -- which takes effect on October 1 -- defines marriage as being between one man and one woman; at the same time, it reserves civil unions for same-sex couples. In signing the bill, Governor J. Jodi Rell stated her belief that there should be no discrimination of any kind -- "and I think this bill accomplishes that, while at the same time preserving the traditional language that a marriage is between a man and a woman." Rell signed the legislation within an hour after the Democrat-controlled Senate passed the measure 26-8.
Two nearby states have dealt with the issue of homosexual "marriage" or civil unions. Massachusetts permits homosexual couples to marry, and Vermont allows civil unions. Those laws, however, came about as the result of court action. The Connecticut legislator is the first to approve civil unions voluntarily without intervention by the courts.
Don Wildmon, founder and chairman of the American Family Association in Mississippi, says this latest development in Connecticut gives homosexual activists a "stepping stone" to keep pushing for legalized homosexual marriage. "Make no mistake," the pro-family leader says, "activists will not stop until they have forced their way into the institution of marriage." He predicts those activists will complain because Connecticut lawmakers did not go as far those in Massachusetts by legalizing same-sex marriage.
Indeed, Associated Press reports that proponents of homosexual rights are unsatisfied. "As important as the rights are, this is not yet equality," stated Anne Stanback, who is executive director of a statewide homosexual-rights group.
That is why the Family Institute of Connecticut is vowing to make it priority to stand against legalization of homosexual marriage. "We know that more court action is coming to bring full same-sex 'marriage' to our state," says FIC's Brian Brown. "We will be there to stand in the gap and protect marriage."
Brown says it was a "sad day for the state of Connecticut" when state legislators and Governor Rell went "against the wishes of the people" and legalized civil unions. "This vote should be a wake-up call to all of us at how extreme we have allowed our legislature to become," he adds.
FIC and other family advocates are gathering for a "Rally for Marriage" on Sunday (April 24) on the state capitol steps in Hartford to protest lawmakers' actions and to hold them accountable, Brown says. "We must reclaim our state. From now until 2006, our mission will be to let every person know in the state of Connecticut which lawmakers voted to redefine marriage, and which lawmakers voted to protect marriage," he vows.
Sunday's rally had been planned before the legislation was signed into law.
