Free Republic

Briefs filed in gay marriage case "If the court finds the law unconstitutional, the judge only has two options," said David Fidanque, Oregon director of the American Civil Liberties Union. "To order the county not to issue licenses to anybody, or to continue what it is doing now." PORTLAND - Supporters and opponents of gay marriage filed briefs Wednesday for a lawsuit expected to decide the issue for the only major U.S. city still granting marriage licenses to same sex couples. The documents cited experts on human sexuality and explored the intentions of Oregon's pioneer founders in making their...

(1010 WINS) ALBANY, N.Y. -- Most New York voters oppose gay marriage but would support a law allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday. Statewide, 52 percent of surveyed voters said they supported a civil union law and 40 percent opposed it, but there were major differences along party lines. While 58 percent of registered Democrats and 55 percent of independents were in favor, 52 percent of Republicans were opposed. Asked about a law that would permit same-sex couples to get married, 55 percent overall were opposed and 37 percent in favor....

FRANKFORT -- The Kentucky House, capping weeks of emotional debate, passed a proposed constitutional amendment Monday night that would ban same-sex marriages and deny legal recognition of civil unions. The measure was revived after a closed-door meeting by majority House Democrats and intense lobbying by supporters of the marriage amendment. The proposal passed 85-11 and returns to the Senate for a final vote that would place the issue on the November ballot. Opponents said the measure amounted to "gay bashing." "I will never vote to put discrimination in the Kentucky Constitution," said Democratic Rep. Mary Lou Marzian of Louisville, her...

Senator supports same-sex marriages Tuesday, April 6, 2004 It's been over a month since the last time I commented on the proceedings of the Legislature's constitutional convention. In that time frame, the Legislature met for a third and fourth time to debate the issue of same sex marriages. As many of you know, I wrote a column following the close of the first two days of debate that explained my opinion on this issue. Due to the important nature of this issue, I thought I would offer this updated column. I am not going to go back over my overall...

Apathetic Christians Partly to Blame, Says Conservative Radio Host [Los Angeles radio talk-show host Paul McGuire] (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%...

"... same-sex marriage has advanced so far as an issue that even Republicans like Knight, a senator from Palmdale, seem to be changing their minds. In 2000, California voters overwhelmingly approved Knight’s Proposition 22, which said the state would recognize only marriages between a man and a woman. Knight once wouldn’t even consider civil unions and expanded rights for domestic partners, but now he’s willing to compromise--under certain conditions. Since Proposition 22 passed in 2000, he's seen its power erode--most notably when his gay son recently got married in San Francisco. Today, Knight says he might be willing to accept...

A new same-sex marriage curriculum for high schools is running into scholarly opposition from three authors led by noted sexual orientation researcher Warren Throckmorton, Ph.D. Throckmorton, Gary Welton, Ph.D. and student Mike Ingram wrote a white paper that examines the curriculum produced by The Gay Lesbian Straight Educational Network (GLSEN) entitled “At Issue: Marriage. Exploring the Debate Over Rights for Same Sex Marriage.” The Gay Lesbian Straight Educational Network released its curriculum in 2003 designed to be used over a two to three week instructional period by high school teachers. The GLSEN web site urges high schools to be involved...

ITHACA--Students walking through Ho Plaza could not help but stop and witness the Big Fat Queer Wedding that took place yesterday. Over 20 same sex couples shouted, "Homophobia's got to go-Ha-Ha-Ho-Ho," while marching from Caldwell Hall through the Arts Quad to retire in front of the Straight for a mock wedding and rally at noon. Some gay participants wore tuxedos, suits and bridal gowns, while others dressed more casually. The mock same-sex wedding was organized to raise awareness on campus about civil marriage between same-sex couples. "I do realize it's a controversial issue; however, it's an important issue that needs...

<p>April 8, 2004 -- ALBANY - The same-sex marriage controversy took a new and dramatic turn yesterday as one of the state Legislature's few openly gay members proposed abolishing marriage altogether in New York. Assemblywoman Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan) said she would introduce legislation today to remove all references to marriage from the state Domestic Relations Law and replace them with the term "civil unions."</p>

While gay marriage is a current hot-button issue for politicians, business leaders have been wrestling for years over whether to offer health coverage to their employees' domestic partners. As employers look into the benefits and costs of covering domestic partners, more and more of them are saying yes--not due to a court order or political pressure but because they think it makes good business sense. Since last year, 34 of the 500 biggest U.S. public companies have started the coverage, bringing the total up to 210, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a Washington, D.C.-based gay and lesbian lobbying group....

Recent moves toward legal recognition of same-sex marriage in two Canadian provinces and Massachusetts, as well as the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses by the City and County of San Francisco, have confused the picture for employers trying to understand their legal obligations under California's broad new domestic partnership law. Domestic partnership is not a marriage. It is an alternative to marriage. In general, employers whose employees marry same-sex partners in Canada (which currently allows same-sex marriage) and Massachusetts (which may soon) will not have any legal obligations as a result. The federal Defense of Marriage Act, like the laws...

WASHINGTON – Supporters of gay marriage routinely accuse Republicans of using gay marriage as a "wedge issue" to energize conservatives. They also have wrapped their cause in the rhetoric of civil rights, comparing the proposed constitutional ban to Jim Crow laws and other long-discredited forms of oppression. So it may be no coincidence that at the last Senate hearing on the ban, chaired by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Republican lawmakers went out of their way to highlight support among minority religious leaders. Survey after survey shows that minority voters are far less comfortable with gay marriage than whites. Is the...

SAN FRANCISCO – When David Knight married his boyfriend of 10 years, his parents weren't among the mothers and fathers proudly snapping photos and sipping champagne at San Francisco's City Hall. His mother is long gone, dead of cancer when he was 17. And his father, well his father ... Knight chooses his words with care. These are precarious times for the gay son of state Sen. William J. "Pete" Knight, the arch-conservative architect of California's Defense of Marriage Act. Does he heed his head or his heart? He doesn't want to hurt his family, but saying nothing exacts its...

Denial of Marriage Rights Costs Massachusetts Couples Thousands of Dollars Per Year, Report Finds -Disparities in Wide Range of Areas Including Income Tax, Survivor Benefits, and Estate Taxes BOSTON, April 5, 2004 - As millions of married couples are signing and sending off their tax returns prior to the April 15 tax day deadline, a groundbreaking report released today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute reveals that same-sex couples face widespread economic disparities and hardships because they are denied equal marriage rights. The report takes situations commonly faced by Massachusetts couples and compares the economic...

Assemblymember Deborah Glick, the only lesbian serving in the Legislature, will introduce a bill to provide civil unions, not marriages, for all New York couples seeking legal recognition of their relationships. Glick is pictured with Alan Van Capelle of the Empire State Pride Agenda. Civil marriage in New York would be abolished, and replaced by civil unions for all, whether gay or straight couples, under a bill to be introduced shortly by New York Assembymember Deborah Glick (D-Greenwich Village). Some advocates working for marriage equality are troubled by the measure and call it “confusing.” Others, however, see it as just...

About 150 people rallied Saturday afternoon for gay marriage rights in Washington to the tune of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" and the words of Rep. Marilyn Musgrave's (R-Colo.) - a staunch opponent of gay marriage - being ripped to pieces. Speakers read quotes from Musgrave, the chief author of a Constitutional Amendment bill banning gay marriage, ripped them up and deposited them into "the trash can of bigotry." "Anyone that would [promote] hatred is trash," said Graham Murphy, a speaker and event organizer. "We're gonna rip up whatever they say and call it what it is - trash." The rally, sponsored...

NEW YORK - The national debate over gay marriage is still heating up, with no resolution in sight. But one thing is abundantly clear: Legalizing same-sex marriages would mean a windfall for the wedding industry. We estimate that if the laws were changed, gay couples currently living together would collectively spend $16.8 billion to get hitched. Of course, they wouldn't all get married right away, so it might be several years before the industry reaped the entire windfall. But it seems reasonable to presume that if same-sex marriage were to be legalized, a large percentage of gay couples immediately would...

Columbus Dispatch poll has found Ohioans oppose legal recognition of same-sex marriages by a margin of three-to-one and 60% would support a constitutional amendment banning them. The poll of 3,344 randomly selected state residents was conducted from March 23 through last Wednesday and has a margin of error of 2%. The poll found nearly 80% of those who said they support President Bush's re-election favor the amendment. Only 42% of those behind Senator John Kerry say they would support it. Central Ohio respondents showed the least support for the proposed amendment (55 percent), while the strongest support came from residents...

Evangelical Christians convened at a church in San Jose Sunday to rally against city leaders' recent decision to support same-sex marriages, while outside, gay and lesbian activists gathered in a small counter-protest. About 2,000 people, mainly members of the city's largest evangelical churches, gathered at Calvary Chapel to voice their opposition to same-sex unions and applaud the efforts of national organizations fighting such marriages.

Last week's vote by the state House of Representatives narrowly approving a constitutional ban on gay marriage is yet another heartening sign of progress toward equal rights for gay Georgians. That might seem an odd interpretation of an event that the Christian Coalition and other anti-gay groups are celebrating as a landmark victory, but it's true nonetheless. When you put the vote in context as the latest in a series of developments, when you draw an arrow through those past events and look forward to see where that arrow points, the direction it suggests is unmistakable, irreversible and encouraging. Less...

Marriage Equality Project hottest and most contentious civil rights efforts in recent history P.O. Box 6825 Harrisburg, PA 17112 Tel: 443-799-5397 Contact: Darren Sage, 443-799-5397 The Marriage Equality Project pin drive For Immediate Release: The Marriage Equality Project was established to raise awareness of and money for the struggle to legalize same- sex marriage in the United States. As a first step, it is offering the knotted white ribbon, an attractive and distinctive pin that consists of two interlocking silver- or gold-colored rings affixed to a white nylon ribbon with a knot in the middle. The pins, which cost...

The debate about legal recognition of same-sex marriage is ultimately grounded in our understanding of human nature, values, and the role of human relationships in creating and defining the type society we desire. For the vast majority of Americans, these issues are understood in the context of the Bible and religious traditions, the “Instruction Manual” provided by our “manufacturer.”[1] This critical debate is not truly between homosexuals and heterosexuals; it is between two opposing worldviews, one secular and the other religious.[2] Approximately 80% of Americans hold a religious worldview,[3] but the secular left has done an excellent, yet nefarious, job...

A lesbian couple from Spokane joined 10 other gay couples from the West Side on Thursday in suing the state of Washington for the right to marry. Together now for more than 25 years, Marge Ballack and Diane Lantz are part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. "If love, commitment and longevity are the criteria for marriage, then we certainly qualify," said Lantz. Attorney General Christine Gregoire said her office will defend state law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. "The issue has emerged as one of the most emotional...

<p>Arizona has the 10th-highest concentration of gay couples in the nation.</p> <p>The state also ranks seventh in the concentration of same-sex couples with children.</p> <p>The data come from a book titled The Gay and Lesbian Atlas, which will be published in May.</p>

A lesbian foster parent allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl in her custody twice last month, tearing apart a Fall River household and sparking a new firefight in the ongoing gay marriage fury. Christina Machado, 26, was in the Bristol County lockup last night, charged with forcefully raping the teen - abuse allegedly witnessed by the woman's friends and reported by the girl's teachers. Department of Social Services officials who spent two weeks investigating told the Herald the case was ``disturbing'' but said Machado had a near-spotless record in eight years as a foster parent. But conservatives leaped on the case....

The black-vote schism -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: April 2, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com This election year may be a groundbreaking one from many aspects. Not the least of which is the effect that cultural issues will have on the "black vote" in America in 2004. During this past week, African-American church leaders in New York and Chicago found common ground with evangelical voters on the issue of "gay marriage." In New York City, Bishop Roderick Caesar and more than 300 clergy banded together on the steps of city hall and proclaimed their proactive support for the biblical concept...

<p>TO BE SURE, Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly is not as tortured about gay marriage as Governor Mitt Romney. Reilly is no friend of gay marriage, preferring, like many politicians, to dump same-sex couples into a civil union caboose. But unlike Romney, who seems to be losing tremendous presidential prospect sleep over the Supreme Judicial Court ruling that will legalize gay marriage on May 17, Reilly momentarily seemed like a gracious loser.</p>

Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry Delivers Letter to Massachusetts Gov. Romney 4/1/2004 5:01:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: City and State desks Contact: Rabbi Devon Lerner, 781-308-8158, or Brad Reichard, 617-470-8265 BOSTON, April 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Rabbi Devon Lerner, co-chair of The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry (RCFM), has delivered the following letter to Gov. Mitt Romney. The letter expresses support for the Goodridge decision and urges the governor not to try to interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses on May 17. The Religious coalition for the Freedom to Marry's membership is now approaching 600 Massachusetts...

The New York Times is not pleased with New York City Mayor Michael ("Mayor Mike") Bloomberg. In a March 11 house editorial, "Mayor Bloomberg's Commitment Issue," the newspaper in so many words demanded that Bloomberg embrace same-sex marriage, and begin personally officiating at same-sex weddings in the mayoral residence of Grace Mansion, forthwith. Or else. "He doesn't officiate at weddings at Gracie Mansion, a previously time-honored tradition for mayors of New York. And it seems that he has a problem committing on the issue of gay marriage. "In the month or so since performing same-sex marriages became a point of...

House Majority Leader: 'I'm Gay' Fox Comes Out As Committee Prepares To Hear Same-Sex Marriage Bills POSTED: 2:34 pm EST March 31, 2004 UPDATED: 9:01 pm EST March 31, 2004 PROVIDENCE -- The debate over same-sex marriage is personal for House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, who on Wednesday announced publicly for the first time that he is gay. The Providence Democrat spoke at a State House rally, then again at a House committee hearing on bills on both sides of the issue. Fox said he's been in a committed relationship for six years and that he supports a bill...

Conservatives celebrated and subdued gay rights supporters vowed to continue fighting Wednesday night after the Georgia Legislature gave final approval to a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The proposal, one of the most divisive issues to confront Georgia lawmakers in years, now moves to the state's voters, who must approve it in a Nov. 2 referendum before it can become part of the state constitution. After two hours of intense debate, the Democratic-controlled state House of Representatives narrowly endorsed the referendum, which passed the Republican-run Senate early in the legislative session. "I feel very gratified that the House gave...

WHEN MASSACHUSETTS legislators voted on Monday to ban same-sex marriage and approve civil unions, they told same-sex couples: “You can tie the knot in Massachusetts, it just has to be a different kind of knot.” That wasn’t good enough for proponents of same-sex marriage, who want more than just the benefits of marriage; they want the name, too. This is pushing too far too fast. But that’s what happens when four activist judges proclaim rights that don’t exist. Suddenly there is no appetite for compromise. Blinded and emboldened by the misstatements of four judges, proponents of same-sex marriage can’t see...

Gay couples to get same rights as in marriageBy Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor (Filed: 01/04/2004) Gay couples are to receive legal rights similar to those enjoyed by married couples under legislation published yesterday. They will be able to register their "partnership" in a civil ceremony before a registrar and two witnesses. The new rights contained in the Civil Partnerships Bill will not be extended to cohabiting heterosexual couples because they are able to marry should they chose. Only a few thousand gay couples each year are expected to take up the opportunity of legal status, substantially fewer than the...

Posted at: Wednesday, March 31, 2004, 05:09 PM The House voted 122-52 this evening to put a proposed constitutional ban against gay marriage on the November ballot. The vote that was recorded about 6:52 p.m. today was two votes more than the two-thirds majority needed to approve a proposed amendment to the Georgia Constitution. In February, Senate Resolution 595 had failed in the House by three votes. Georgia law already prohibits gay marriage. The second debate over a ban on same-sex marriage got under way in the state House shortly before 5 p.m. today. The first lawmaker to talk about...

Over 120 Jewish Leaders Sign Passover Petition for Marriage Equality 3/31/2004 5:01:00 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk Contact: Alice Leeds, 917-523-5029 or aleeds@pflag.org, or Taylor Thompson, 202-213-1591 or 202-467-8180 ext. 213, tthompson@pflag.org, both of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays WASHINGTON, March 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) announced that over 120 rabbis and Jewish leaders from all over the country have signed PFLAG's Passover Petition for Marriage Equality. At this time when Jewish families celebrate freedom from oppression, PFLAG implores fair-minded citizens across the nation to work for the...

HELENA - The Montana Family Foundation, a new nonprofit organization with ties to the national group Focus on the Family, is seeking to place a constitutional amendment on the state ballot in November to ban gay marriages in Montana. The group's president, Rep. Jeff Laszloffy, R-Laurel, said Montana's Defense of Marriage Act - a l997 law limiting marriages to unions between one man and one woman - may not be strong enough to hold up in court. "As a legislator, I've been appalled by the amount of legislating from the bench the court has been doing," said Laszloffy. "I think...

<p>BOSTON — Gov. Mitt Romney's efforts to delay gay marriage in Massachusetts were rebuffed Tuesday by the state attorney general, who said there was no legal justification in seeking a stay from the state's highest court.</p> <p>The stand by Attorney General Tom Reilly means Massachusetts is one step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to recognize gay marriage.</p>

<p>BOSTON (AP) -- All Julie and Hillary Goodridge wanted was a piece of paper signed by a town clerk that would call them married.</p> <p>"I didn't think my marrying Hillary was a groundbreaking, monumental, earth-shattering, presidential topic kind of an issue," says Julie Goodridge.</p>

Brookings Institution to Hold Briefing on Gay Marriage 3/30/2004 10:20:00 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor Contact: Brookings Institution, 202-797-6105 News Advisory: WHAT: Brookings Briefing: "Can Gay Marriage Strengthen the American Family?" WHEN: Thursday, April 1, 10 - 11:30 a.m. WHERE: The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC WHO: Presentation: JONATHAN RAUCH, writer in residence, The Brookings Institution; Columnist, National Journal Discussants: DAVID BLANKENHORN, founder and president, Institute for American Values SARAH BROWN, director, National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy WILLIAM GALSTON, Saul I. Stern professor, School of Public Affairs, and director, Institute for...

(Talon News) -- A rift has developed between the campaigns of Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Stephanie Herseth, the Democratic candidate for South Dakota's lone House seat over the issue of gay marriage. A month ago, the Associated Press quoted Herseth as saying, "I agree with the president on this issue. Marriage should be between a man and a woman." Her statement produced a strongly negative reaction from some Democrats, especially from inside the Daschle campaign. The Rapid City Journal reported that Steve Hildebrand, campaign manager for the Senate minority leader asked for a refund of his contribution to the...

<p>The Massachusetts Legislature voted yesterday to ban gay marriage and establish civil unions, approving a proposed constitutional amendment that would reverse the Supreme Judicial Court's historic ruling that legalized same-sex marriages.</p> <p>Governor Mitt Romney immediately vowed to ask the court to block gay marriages until voters can decide the fate of the dual proposal in November 2006. The SJC decision legalizing gay marriages is set to go into effect May 17, and Romney said he wanted to avoid confusion that he believes would result if gay couples married and then the voters banned gay marriage.</p>

For three years the Alliance for Marriage has been working to create a consensus around the need for a federal marriage amendment. When President Bush announced his support for a constitutional amendment on marriage, the "Musgrave/Allard" language crafted by the Alliance for Marriage was the only language on the table. The main thrust of this Federal Marriage Amendment is to create a common national definition of marriage, and to leave the question of civil unions or other partnership benefits to state legislatures: Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither...

A proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in Massachusetts cleared legislative hurdle for this year today, raising the possibility that the state's voters will eventually pass judgment on the topic. In the Legislature's final vote on the issue today, the amendment was approved by a margin of 105 to 92. But the amendment is far from becoming law — requiring another round of legislative approval in the lawmakers' next session and the endorsement of the voters in a 2006 referendum. Advertisement The push for a constitutional amendment began after Massachusetts's highest court decided last November that gay couples had...

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Legislature adopted a new version of a state constitutional amendment Monday that would ban gay marriage and legalize civil unions, eliminating consideration of any other proposed changes. The vote came at the opening of the third round of a constitutional convention on the contentious issue, as competing cries of "Jesus Christ" and "Equal Rights" shook the Statehouse outside the legislative chamber. Lawmakers had voted earlier this month in favor of a similar amendment. The revised version adopted Monday would ask voters to simultaneously ban gay marriage and legalize civil unions — rather than taking those steps...

<p>When state lawmakers convene today in a bid to settle the fight over a constitutional ban on gay marriage, they will walk into the most daunting day of parliamentary maneuvering, strategizing, and voting in modern Beacon Hill history.</p> <p>Lawmakers, spent after two previous sessions this year, may cast anywhere from three to a dozen votes over the next three days on a dizzying array of amendments and amendments to amendments. The measure facing the shortest distance to passage, sponsored by Senate leaders, would ban same-sex marriage but create civil unions with many of the rights and benefits of civil matrimony. But if it can't attract a majority of legislators, any number of rival proposals could win the day.</p>

John Kerry believes that same-sex couples should be granted rights, including access to pensions, health insurance, family medical leave, bereavement leave, hospital visitation, survivor benefits, and other basic legal protections that all families and children need. He has supported legislation to provide domestic partners of federal employees the benefits available to spouses of federal employees. He was one of 14 Senators -- and the only one up for reelection in 1996 -- to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Oregon judge denies the legislators' request to join ACLU's case PORTLAND _ A Multnomah Circuit Court judge has turned down a request by 14 state lawmakers who wanted to join a lawsuit over the legality of gay marriages in Oregon. Judge Frank Bearden on Friday rejected the Republican legislators' "motion to intervene" in the suit filed Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union, because he said it would slow down proceedings. Bearden said the controversy over Multnomah County's decisions to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples demanded a prompt decision. "This court is merely a speed bump on the...

An anti-gay-marriage crusader said he expects a legislative bill will be filed this week to remove the four Supreme Judicial Court justices who supported homosexual unions, while pro-gay activists took to the streets to drum up support yesterday. Brian Camenker of the Article 8 Alliance - a group of several hundred activists named for the Massachusetts Constitution provision that holds ``the people have a right . . . to cause their public officer to return to private life'' - says a legislative recall makes more sense than constitutional amendments that have been tying the State House in knots. ``It's the...

<p>WASHINGTON -- Republican leaders have run into unexpected resistance within their own party to the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and are regrouping to avoid an embarrassing defeat on a measure that is a top priority for social conservatives and an election issue for President Bush.</p>

(CBS/AP) Same-sex marriage supporters on Saturday stepped up efforts to defeat a proposed Massachusetts constitutional amendment banning such marriages by directly lobbying the ultimate arbiters - voters. An estimated 120 gay marriage activists fanned out across Boston and the nearby suburbs of Brookline and Burlington to knock on doors and talk to potential voters, who ultimately must approve or reject any proposed constitutional amendment. Dave Fleischer, training director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said the goal Saturday was to identify supportive voters. Nothing beats a personal connection with voters, he said. "It's building the base of support...