Posted on 10/07/2003 2:04:39 PM PDT by Incorrigible
Traditional foes form the core of opposition to gay marriage Tuesday, October 07, 2003 BY MARK O'KEEFE [Newark, NJ] -- Across the country, unusual alliances are forming to protect the traditional definition of marriage from anticipated court rulings. While the movement draws from a variety of demographic groups, it relies heavily on two -- white evangelicals and religious blacks -- that have historically been at odds politically over issues ranging from affirmative action to welfare reform. On gay marriage, they seem to be reading from the same Bible. "I know people are trying to make this into a sexy thing, like, 'Ooh, it's a conspiracy, they're getting together,'" said Trieste Reeves, a Michigan lawmaker. "I have no interest in being a Republican. I'm a Democrat. But I believe there should be some diversity in our party, and the diversity I'm talking about is the freedom to be consistent with our moral beliefs." For years, gay marriage seemed an unlikely possibility. But that was before an eventful summer. In June, the Supreme Court struck down Texas' anti-sodomy law, which, according to Justice Antonin Scalia's blistering dissent, clears the legal path for gay marriage. Some legal scholars say the breakthrough ruling could come in pending court decisions on gay marriage in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Anxiety also was stirred by Canada's legalization of gay marriage, the election of the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, the buzz over the television show "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy" and even Madonna's open- mouthed kiss of Britney Spears at the MTV Video Music Awards, said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "It was really an extraordinary confluence of events," Foreman said, "that has made people say, 'Enough already.' Events beyond gay people's control have made some people think we're trying to cram our lives down people's throats." In May, a Gallup survey reported that 49 percent of the public would support a law allowing gay men and lesbians to form civil unions providing some of the rights and legal protections of marriage. Opposition to gay marriage is strongest among two groups, according to a survey released July 24 by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. More than eight of 10 white evangelicals and six of 10 African-Americans oppose the idea. Given that blacks and evangelicals are extremely loyal to their respective parties, the issue presents intriguing possibilities to political strategists. A May 7 memo by Republican pollster Richard Wirthlin calls a federal marriage amendment "an ideal wedge issue." It says supporting such an amendment "does not alienate the base" while potentially peeling a percentage of African- Americans away from the Democrats. "In sum," the memo concludes, "it is an issue that if handled properly can work very much to the advantage of Republican candidates, if it gains some visibility prior to the 2004 election." Democrats acknowledge that theoretically, they could lose black votes. But they say it's unlikely. "There's a real phenomenon here," said William Galston, professor of civic engagement at the University of Maryland and a former domestic policy official for the Clinton administration. "But what is also the case is African-Americans tend to be cross-pressured on a range of issues and are intensely suspicious of relationships that take them where they don't want to go." Consider the Rev. Walter Fauntroy. In a long career of religious and political activism, he organized civil rights marches with Martin Luther King Jr., went to Congress as a District of Columbia delegate and helped found the Congressional Black Caucus. Fauntroy supports the marriage amendment idea. He does so, he says, because the family unit in the African-American community is already under assault, and changing marriage only worsens the situation. "I'm unalterably opposed to anything that redefines marriage as anything other than an institution for two purposes, the socialization of children and the perpetuation of the species," he said. Fauntroy is a spokesman for the Alliance for Marriage, a nonpartisan group pushing the marriage amendment. Changing the U.S. Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures. A proposed marriage amendment has 91 sponsors in the House of Representatives but has yet to be introduced in the Senate. Bills to change state constitutions have been introduced in Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada and New Mexico. While Fauntroy backs the amendment efforts, he said his support stops there, adding: "Only fools are going to be diverted to voting for a Republican on the question of gay marriage, and we're not fools." While important, the issue is rarely discussed in black neighborhoods, he said. "When I step outside the door of this church, nobody is going to ask me, 'Rev, what do you think about gay marriage?' That may be a nice discussion in some places, but it isn't on the radar screen here. People here are saying, 'Lord, have mercy, I don't have health care; I need more income.' And, 'Reverend, get my boy out of jail; all he had was an ounce while the guys pushing it only got a misdemeanor.'" In contrast, conservative activists say concern about gay marriage is electrifying the evangelical Christian community, rivaling abortion as an issue. Oct. 12-18 has been deemed "Marriage Protection Week," with pastors encouraged to preach about marriage and voters urged to call their representatives in support of the constitutional amendment. Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.
NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
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