Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Gay foes want say in DOMA challenge
03.04.2009 3:45pm EST
(Boston, Massachusetts) Opponents of same-sex marriage are preparing to ask a federal judge to allow them to submit briefs in a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
On Tuesday, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based LGBT rights group that brought the successful legal challenge leading to Massachusetts becoming the first state in the nation to legalize gay marriage in 2004, filed suit in federal court challenging DOMA.The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, was enacted by Congress in 1996 when it appeared Hawaii would soon legalize same-sex marriage and opponents worried that other states would be forced to recognize such marriages. The new lawsuit challenges only the portion of the law that prevents the federal government from affording Social Security and other benefits to same-sex couples.
The Family Research Council, a conservative Washington, DC-based group, on Wednesday suggested that the Department of Justice would not vigorously defend the law in court.
President Barrack Obama has said he believes the law should be repealed. Democratic leaders in Congress also agree the law is discriminatory.
” We advise the Obama Administration to fulfill its constitutional duties and defend DOMA energetically and competently. We also urge any federal courts that hear this case to dismiss it and preserve the right of the people to decide such important public policy decisions,” said FRC President Tony Perkins.
“Even more important are the implications for marriage and family. The social science confirms what history and common sense have long told us: That it is overwhelmingly, the best environment for children is a home with a mom and dad.”
Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute which failed twice to get a proposed amendment on the ballot to constitutionally ban gay marriage in Massachusetts, said in a statement that the GLAD lawsuit is the latest effort to export gay marriage to other parts of the country.
The only other state where same-sex marriage currently is legal is Connecticut. Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut said that the GLAD suit “shows their lack of respect for democracy.”
Last November GLAD launched the “Six by Twelve” campaign to legalize gay marriage throughout all six New England states by 2012.
Lawmakers in Maine and Vermont are taking up same-sex marriage bills this year.
Hasn’t anybody told the FRC what “social science confirms what history and common sense have long told us:” fanatical religious ideology is a destructive force for divergent thought, scientific discovery, and social constructs. In other words, until you can quote your scripture in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, you are reading a copy of a copy of copy of a copy of a copy. And your premises are biased based on incorrect interpretations of Christian scripture.
SO back, you egomaniacal and falsely pious crackpots.
What are these foes of same sex marriage so opposed for and what are they afraid of?
They aren’t being forced to marry a gay person, and who we marry is none of their business.
What is going to happen is that someone is going to come up with a good argument against denying gays this right, and the courts will not be able to find any reason to disagree.
Then, all marriages (gay and straight) will become the governmental Civil Unions that they really are. Marriages will not exist in the sense as we know them now and will not be valid until the civil paperwork is done. Then the shoe will be on the other foot.
It is funny how opponents want the people to decide on these things instead of letting the policy makers we voted for to do so. And yet when they want something done (anti-gay and anti-abortion laws) do they think, hey lets put this to a vote first? No, they work it through the legislature or get an executive order!
HERE WE GO AGAIN FOLKS- FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS -ITS GOING TO BE A BUMPY NIGHT !!
Hmmmmm…and I say common sense shows us that jesus and the narrow minded bigotry his followers promote does more harm than me [screwing] my boyfriend in the ass and adopting a baby.
“We advise the Obama Administration to fulfill its constitutional duties and defend DOMA..”
What constitution did they read? Marriage is a set of laws, not a clause, and it wasn’t even part of this country’s laws until people started worrying about interracial marriages and decided to make laws to stop it.
I can remember blasting my Democratic U.S. Senator (Patty Murray) in 1996 when SHE voted for DOMA, along with a lot of other Dems.
Her response THEN was that she didn’t realize that marriage was so important to us. (DUHHHHH!)
I am hoping that we don’t get sold down the river (again) this time.
Meanwhile, could sombody just make Tony Perkins and his ilk live on another planet? I would be willing to chip in for transit costs.
In 1965, both the CA state and the federal Supreme Courts struck down proposition 14 which legalized racial discrimination in housing, because that amendment was unconstitutional. When are these extremist wingnuts going to realize that living in a representative republic demands that the constitution be upheld, even when it runs counter to the tyranny of the majority? We cannot let these radicals get away with forcing their popular religious discrimination into the secular constitutions of our land.
I’m pretty sure everyone here knows not to trust the information of the Family Research Council because it is very biased. If you want to see what I mean, try going to their website and reading some of their “studies”.
Now if you want an unbiased opinion, go to the American Psychological Association’s website, as they have done NUMEROUS studies about same-sex couples and their effects on children (who are always included in this argument). And, as you’ll see, the TRUE social science actually lies in our favor!
It sickens me to have DOMA as part of my country’s history. To think, a federal law that undermines the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution and decides which state-sponsored marriages are federally recognized somehow gets passed by Congress!
This kind of ignorance and illogical thought will bring about our destruction as a society.
Thank the universe that I live in Canada and don’t have to deal with this crap!
I’m glad to see this article refer to Marriage Equality as “same-sex marriage” instead of “gay marriage”. But we can do better!
Framing is VERY important to our detractors. Lets take a page from the Carl Rove playbook & insert the words of our choosing into the meme. “Marriage Equality” or “Same Gender Marriage” are perfect choices. Many of the wack jobs who oppose our rights are obsessed with what we do in our bedrooms. It’s a fact! Forget the “Gay” & the “Sex”. We are first & foremost, a group of people who’re discriminated against for no good reason! Think about it.
Isn’t Obama’s first name spelt with only one r? or am I dumb?. I know this is piddly a stupid question dealing with the main point of this article
I hope the government does indeed defend DOMA vigorously and passionately. To see DOMA defeated in the face of a strong defense would be much more satisfying. It would also put to rest future attempts to resurrect such discrimination.
To defend it apathetically or weakly would only leave more questions and more loopholes for those who oppose us to use against us. We all know they will continue to try every trick in the book regardless of what the courts decide, but being defeated while they are offering a strong defense gives them less ammunition.
Neil
His placard is ill-informed!
The fat-bearded-guy on the ‘cover’ doesn’t know that the word “Christ” is a synonym for King.
*sheesh*
R.
The fight is on and we will prevail. Equality for all will win this battle against the right wing conservatives and religious radicals.