[Vision2020] Constitutionial Ban on Gay Marriage

[Donovan Arnold]

McClellan said,"The president is strongly committed to protecting the 
sanctity of marriage and defending a sacred institution that he believes is 
a between a man and a woman" "We are looking at what may be needed in the 
context of the court cases that are pending now."

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the statement "sanctity of marriage and 
defending a sacred institution" already gone!?!

I mean really, you want to defend marriage, why not start with ending the 
80% of adultery, the 50% divorce rate after five years and the 72% divorce 
rate after ten years? I mean when something is MAYBE ten percent of your 
problem and something else is 72% of your problem, shouldn't you concentrate 
  your efforts on the 72%?

I guess this just goes to show how arrogant and stupid the people are that 
oppose even Civil Unions. I don't think this amendment has a snowball's 
chance in hell, which is good. I shutter at the prospect of  this country 
passing an amendment that singles out a group of people to be denied the 
right to marry. Marriage is no more a sacred institution, it just a tax 
break, and why deny people a tax break because of what they do in their 
bedrooms? That is just plain wrong.

Donovan J Arnold

>From: Douglas Stambler <ccm_moscow@yahoo.com>
>To: vision2020@moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Article: "White House Mulls Constitution Ban on Gay 
>Marriage"
>Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 16:54:10 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>
>(Reuters Photo) White House Mulls Constitution Ban on Gay Marriage
>
>
>
>
>July 31
>— By Randall Mikkelsen
>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration would consider seeking a 
>constitutional amendment to ensure a ban on same-sex marriages, a White 
>House spokesman said on Thursday.
>
>Spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush, who on Wednesday said 
>administration lawyers were studying ways to ban gay marriages, also was 
>opposed to civil unions as an alternative.
>
>
>
>Asked about the possibility of a constitutional amendment, McClellan said, 
>"obviously that is something to look at in this context."
>
>Any administration action would depend on the outcome of pending court 
>cases on the gay-marriage issue, he said.
>
>"The president is strongly committed to protecting the sanctity of marriage 
>and defending a sacred institution that he believes is a between a man and 
>a woman," McClellan said. "We are looking at what may be needed in the 
>context of the court cases that are pending now."
>
>Bush also opposed legalization of homosexual civil unions, which are 
>allowed in Vermont, McClellan said. He cited Bush's support for current 
>federal law, which holds that states do not have to recognize such civil 
>unions granted by another state.
>
>The gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign on Wednesday criticized the 
>president's stance, saying it suggests "further codifying discrimination."
>
>Debate over the issue of same-sex unions has intensified since Canada has 
>taken steps to legalize gay marriages and the U.S. Supreme Court in June 
>struck down state sodomy laws. Conservative critics say the Supreme Court's 
>ruling could open the door to same-sex marriages in the United States.
>
>The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, signed by former Democratic President 
>Bill Clinton, defines marriage for federal purposes as between one woman 
>and one man. Gay marriages are forbidden in the United States.
>
>Bush said on Wednesday he would not compromise his belief in the "sanctity 
>of marriage."
>
>But, as recently as earlier this month, he said a constitutional ban on gay 
>marriage proposed in the House of Representatives might not be necessary 
>despite the high court's decision.
>
>Any proposal to amend the constitution faces high hurdles. To be 
>successful, it must be approved by two-thirds of the House and the Senate 
>and ratified by three-quarters of the states.
>
>When asked his views of homosexuality on Wednesday, Bush said "we're all 
>sinners," but McClellan said this should not be interpreted as a belief 
>that homosexuality was a sin.
>
>He noted that Bush's questioner began by saying many of the president's 
>supporters thought homosexuality was immoral. Bush's response expressed a 
>conviction that it was "not his place" to judge others, McClellan said.
>
>
>photo credit and caption: President George W. Bush answers a reporter's 
>question during a morning press conference in the Rose Garden at the White 
>House in Washington, July 30, 2003. Bush on Wednesday rejected same sex 
>marriage but declined to pass moral judgment on homosexuality, saying he 
>was "mindful that we're all sinners." Paraphrasing the Bible, Bush told 
>reporters "I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the 
>neighbor's eye when they've got a log in their own." Photo by Gary 
>Hershorn/Reuters
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
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