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Loading ...Fierce fight over Arizona anti-gay amendment
10.01.2008 3:48pm EDT
(Tucson, Arizona) A proposed amendment to the Arizona state constitution to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples is facing a fierce battle and opponents of the measure say they are confident it will be defeated.
But the final decision may come down to less than 10 percent of the electorate who are undecided, a new poll indicates.The survey, by PBS affiliate KAET, has found that 49 percent of those polled support the amendment while 42 percent are opposed.
State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Phoenix), who is leading the fight against the amendment, said the numbers show support is waning.
Sinema said that supporters of the measure have mounted a major campaign but that the opposition is just now preparing its first big ad buy. TV spots will begin running next week.
In 2006, a similar amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions failed when put to voters. The current amendment proposal does not mention civil unions.
Religious leaders across the state are telling their respective denominations to support the amendment.
In a pastoral letter read last month in Catholic churches across the state, Arizona’s two Roman Catholic bishops said the amendment is “in alignment with our deeply held moral beliefs regarding marriage.”
The letter, signed by Thomas Olmstead, the bishop of Phoenix, and Gerald Kincanas, the bishop of Tucson, went on to say that if the amendment is not passed, a law already on the books limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples could be overturned by a court.
The Union for Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America also issued a statement to the state’s Orthodox Jews saying the Torah and Jewish law “affirms marriage only between a man and woman.”
Evangelical churches throughout Arizona also are urging the faithful to support the proposed amendment which will appear on the ballot in November.
Proposed amendments limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples will also appear on the ballot in California and Florida. Polls in both states show the measures are unlikely to succeed.
We are so lost in this state and country. This is not even an initiative brought up by the people. This was initiated by the legislators. We are facing a $1B budget deficit and this how they chose to spend their time?!? We have a law that has been tested and upheld by the ‘liberal courts’ and an amendment 2 years ago that was defeated by voters. Please Jesus return and save us from these morons!
While 49% yes and 42% no may not seem that good, it is far better than we were at this point during the 2006 campaign, which we won. That year, a poll in August showed 57% yes, and on election day only 48% voted yes.
The yes side on any ballot initiative always loses about 20% of its support during the course of an election season, as long as there is an organized opposition. That was the case in 2006.
Arizona Together’s TV ads will start running full steam on Monday, Oct. 6. That will sway the undecideds and weak yeses.
Check out the TV ad at http://www.aztogether.org/media. Then donate! Each spot costs $375. Anything helps. The big money is all going to California, but we can and will win in Arizona too!
It should be noted that many clergy have also expressed their opposition to this amendment. At a Press Conference in Tucson on Sept. 23, 35 clergy from 6 denominations gathered to promote a NO vote on Prop. 102.
I’ve made my donations to FIGHT against Prop. 8 in California, Prop. 102 in Arizona and Amendment 2 in Florida!
Arizona – Vote “NO” on Prop. 102! Again!
California – Vote “NO” on Prop. 8!
Florida – Vote “NO” on Amendment 2!
Obama/Biden will WIN by a landslide and ALL three anti-equality initiatives WILL NOT PASS!!!
And isn’t it interesting how the orthodox jews are supporting the amendment. Given that when their ancestors went up hitler’s smokestacks, they shared their fate with Germany’s gays, another group that madmanthought were less then human.
I am Jewish, btw. Wife is Jewish also. But I have from my youngest days seen religion as a crutch, and learned in the last ten years what a monstrosity it can be.
When the orthodox jews do something like this, as they did with calif also, I guess I am right in telling my wife that if she wants to go to israel, it is fine by me, but I’ll stay home.
And someday, if = a big if – mankind survives, there will be a book written about “the age of religion”. And it will talk about how mankind nearly destroyed itself,k and caused unimaginable suffering for the sake of corrupted history, hatred, power, money, and superstition.
And maybe then, mankind will be finally free.