Judge rejects suit on recognizing gay marriage (D.C. Referendum backers vow to continue fight)

http://washingtontimes.com ^ | July 1, 2009 | By Melissa Giaimo

[Maelstorm]

A D.C. Superior Court judge Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to delay the implementation of a law recognizing same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions outside the District and rejected efforts to bring the issue before voters.

The lawsuit was an attempt to salvage a referendum drive that would have put the question of same-sex marriage on the ballot.

...snip

The plaintiffs, seven D.C. residents led by Bishop Harry R. Jackson of the Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, said they were disappointed by the decision.

"Essentially, today, the D.C. residents have been disenfranchised and unable to vote on an important public policy matter, because political elites would rather serve a radical agenda than the people they represent," Mr. Jackson said.

Mr. Jackson said the petitioners would likely attempt to continue their opposition to gay marriage in the city through an initiative that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. An initiative is a citizen-led effort to propose a law and differs from a referendum, which is an effort to repeal an existing law.

Without intervention by Congress, the legislation passed by the D.C. Council in May is set to go into effect on Monday -- the end of the required congressional review period. The law is widely considered to be a precursor to another bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the District.

Petitioners argued that the District deliberately stifled debate on the issue by introducing the provision recognizing same-sex marriage in a stealth manner by amending another bill.

Judge Retchin rejected the argument, saying there was "no reason to believe that an interested citizen diligently following the issue could not have learned about its consideration by the council."

Mr. Jackson vowed to carry on the legal challenge to same-sex marriage in the District. ...

[Maelstorm]

It seems to me that this is an opportunity not that we would ever win or need the DC vote but it is an opportunity to join forces under a common umbrella. This issue is one that can be leveraged to help bring religious African Americans into the party. We should be standing with Bishop Harry R. Jackson. I know it is tempting to say he got what he had coming with this but this doesn't just affect him it has the potential to effect every community because the gaystapo movement which is attempting to force feed us the gay culture and its lax sexual and predatory attitudes, the redefinition of marriage, the forced education of our children to accept homosexuality as normal affects everyone.

[GOP Poet]

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