Posted on 08/24/2004 1:43:08 PM PDT by ambrose
Posted on Tue, Aug. 24, 2004
Cheney Backs Freedom for Gay Relationships
TODD DVORAK
Associated Press
DAVENPORT, Iowa - Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter Mary is a lesbian, spoke supportively about gay relationships on Tuesday, saying "freedom means freedom for everyone."
At a campaign rally in this Mississippi River town, Cheney was asked about his stand on gay marriage - an issue for which his boss, President Bush, has pushed for a constitutional amendment to ban such unions.
"Lynne and I have a gay daughter, so it's an issue our family is very familiar with," Cheney said. "With the respect to the question of relationships, my general view is freedom means freedom for everyone ... People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.
"The question that comes up with the issue of marriage is what kind of official sanction or approval is going to be granted by government? Historically, that's been a relationship that has been handled by the states. The states have made that fundamental decision of what constitutes a marriage," he said.
Bush backs a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage, a move Cheney says was prompted by various judicial rulings, including the action in Massachusetts that made gay marriage legal.
"I think his perception was that the courts, in effect, were beginning to change, without allowing the people to be involved," Cheney said. "The courts were making the judgment for the entire country."
That stand put Cheney at odds with his wife. Last month, Lynne Cheney said states should have the final say over the legal status of personal relationships, a comment that came just days before the Senate failed to back the ban.
Cheney said the amendment did not have the votes to pass, but he also said the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which President Clinton signed into law in 1996, may be sufficient to resolve the issue.
The Cheneys have two daughters, both of whom are working on the campaign. Mary Cheney is director of vice presidential operations for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign. She held a public role as her father's assistant in the 2000 campaign and helped the GOP recruit gay voters during the 2002 midterm elections.
During the 2000 campaign, vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney took the position that states should decide legal issues about personal relationships and that people should be free to enter relationships of their choosing.
While Bush and Cheney back the proposed constitutional amendment, their Democratic rivals, Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina, oppose the amendment.
The Democrats also oppose gay marriage, but defend a gay couple's rights to the same legal protections as those conferred in marriage.
How?
It does not mean that he thinks sodomy is great, advantageous, or deserving of support and special rights.
Dick Cheney's position on this is already known. His daughter is a lesbian. He loves her as a dad should. He may not support her behavior but wants her to be happy.
Never said gays should marry.
Typical media spin.
We are against it even though we are for it. Is the public gullible enough to buy that.
Dick Cheney believes that the federal government should defend marriage nationally.
Geez, she not gay. She's a lesbian. If she was gay, then PFLAG and LGBT would be redundant.
The mother of my grandson is a lesbian. I do not agree with her lifestyle choice. I do love my grandson and do not want him to have 2 mommies. My son is very active in his life but no judge is going to take her away for being lesbian. Although not many parents will let their kids go over to play with my grandson. Sad Sad choices!
What stand is "at odds" here? Because he suggests there is law, the DoM Act, that addresses the issue? That he supports the people of a state having a say in the defining of marriage rather than judicial fiat?
Obviously the statements can be construed anyway you want depending on your bias.
You've obviously never heard of Roy Moore.
But then agains ALL 50 states have agreed that marriage is a man and a woman. It was just one state court that changed this. A Constitutional Amendment would just codify what is and what always should be and prevent the courts from overstepping their authority in this area. It is sad that our Courts have gotten way to powerful and are usurping the power of the legislative branch. The Marriage Amendment is a bandaid to a larger problem, but it would fire a shot over the bow of the courts and give them something to think about.
I would tolerate gays, because they are human and have the same rights as everyone.
it's their world as much as it is ours.
But i would never support or praise gay relationships, because it's something that is against basic human nature and simply sick.
I believe his wife thinks they should be allowed to marry. Probably so does Dick, though he is a loyal VP and will back Bush on the FMA. You can feasibly support the FMA and be for gay marriage too. The FMA only takes the issue away from activist judges. I can live with that, though I am increasingly seeing the benefit of sodomy laws. Too late. Apparently Cheney doesn't think the states have the right to decide the sodomy issue. I wonder if he has flipped on abortion (other than PBA) as well. I'll be glad when he is gone.
Are you equally willing to tolerate adult child "relationships"? How about cousin "relationships"? Other family "relationships"? Animal "relationships"? Group "relationships"?
absolutely not.
The gay activist are a small part of the people with a gay sexual orientation. I am not gay, but one of my children is. Through her I have met many other gay women. They are almost all disgusted by the gay activists attempting to use their sexual orientation as a political weapon. Being gay does not make one a left wing, anti-patriotic, socialist idiot. Beign gay is being gay. Being a left wing nut is being a left wing nut.
Please help run interference for Mary from the nuts' attack on her Dad. They have a web site where they are encouraging people to send emails to Mary. Mary needs to know that we rally appreciate her dad and that we are disgusted by the nuts' attempt to use her.
Vist the site, http://www.dearmary.com/ and send a letter of support to Mary.
Cheney is great. What's your beef with him?
Lynne and Dick ought NOT to be sticking up for an UN-Christian lifestyle choice. This is the FIRST time I have been disappointed in them.....all because of their sicko daughter.
Thank you for pointing that out. For the Cheney's this is more a personal issue than a public one. Cheney's comment was appropriate, and appropriately didn't take issue with Bush's support for a marriage amendment.
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