February 12, 2004

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: Defense Of Marriage Act

Do you believe in Marriage between only one man and one woman? Join with TVC as we continue to fight for the Family! CLICK HERE to Pledge

Recent events in Massachusetts have underscored the need for federal legislation concerning marriage. The movement to defend marriage as a union of one man and one woman is gaining momentum throughout the U.S. as a result of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's decision in November, 2003, to "legalize" same-sex marriage.

TVC supports passage of a constitutional amendment protecting marriage between one man and one woman. Public support is growing in support of protecting marriage from homosexual activism.

At the state level, Ohio has become the 38th state to pass a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defines marriage as a one man/one woman union in the state constitution. Governor Taft signed this legislation on February 4, 2004. In signing the law, Gov. Taft noted: "Marriage is an essential building block of our society, an institution we must reaffirm. At a time when parents and families are under constant attack within our social culture, it is important to confirm and protect those environments that offer our children, and ultimately our society, the best opportunity to survive."

"…Four judges in another state should not, and cannot, hold the power to redefine marriage in Ohio. Rather, it is for citizens of Ohio, through our elected representatives and after extensive public and legislative debate, to determine our laws, and here, to define our fundamental institutions."

The Ohio bill has been called a "Super DOMA" law because it not only defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman, but it also bans Vermont-style civil unions and prohibits the granting of domestic partner benefits to state employees.

The bill says, in part: "any marriage between persons of the same sex is against the strong public policy of this state" and that "marriage between persons of the same sex shall have not legal force of effect." It continues: "any marriage entered into by persons of the same sex in any other jurisdiction shall be treated in all respects as having no legal force of effect in the state."

DOMA laws have been passed by overwhelmingly high margins in the states where citizens have been given the right to vote on this important issue. In California, for example, voters approved Proposition 22 in 2000 by a 62% to 39% margin. Prop. 22 defined marriage as a one man, one woman union in California.

Voters in other states have also passed DOMA laws by very wide margins. Here are three: Nebraska voters approved a DOMA in November, 2000, by a 70.1% to 29.9% margin; Nevada voters approved a DOMA in November, 2000, by a 69.6% to 30.4% margin. Voters in Hawaii passed a DOMA law in 1998 by a 69% margin.

These states currently have DOMA laws:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia

 

These states do not yet protect marriage:

Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
New Hampshire
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Public opposition to same-sex marriage is growing. Polls conducted by NPR, CBS/New York Times, and Associated Press, all show increased opposition from the American voter on same-sex marriage.

Polls shows that a growing majority of Americans are opposed not only to same-sex marriage but to civil unions or other arrangements that give homosexuals the same privileges as the traditional one man, one woman marriage.

The legalization of same-sex marriage will destroy traditional marriage and open up our culture to a wide range of other sexually deviant lifestyles. The Weekly Standard's Stanley Kurtz wrote a detailed article on how same-sex marriage is undermining traditional marriage and morality in Scandinavian countries. Every Member of Congress and other policy leaders should read this article and do whatever is necessary to prohibit the legalization of homosexual marriage in America.

The truth is that homosexuals do not really want the "right" to marry. Many of their strategists have openly admitted that their real goal is to destroy marriage altogether and usher in a new sexual ethic in America that will permit every kind of sexual partnership, including group sex as "marriage." TVC's report, "Do homosexuals really want the 'right' to marry?" features quotes from these activists.

In view of the overwhelming support for traditional marriage in the United States, TVC urges passage of a constitutional amendment protecting marriage as a union of one man and one woman. The amendment should also prohibit civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other homosexual relationships that equal marriage under the law.

---

TAKE ACTION: Contact your two (2) US Senators and US Representative immediately and urge them to cosponsor and vote for SJ Res 26/ HJ Res 56 the Federal Marriage Amendment--a constitutional amendment defining marriage as union between one man and one woman.

US Capitol Switchboard-(202) 224-3121.

Please forward this action alert to your friends and neighbors and encourage them to write to their legislators as well. Urge them to access TVC's web site http://www.traditionalvalues.org and sign up for our weekly email, too.

 

Sincerely,

Rev. Louis P. Sheldon
Chairman
Traditional Values Coalition