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Loading ...Group seeks return of Mass. out-of-state gay marriage ban
08.16.2008 10:56am EDT
(Boston, Massachusetts) A conservative group is attempting to force a ballot issue on the repeal of a law used to prevent out-of-state gays from marrying in the Bay State.
Mass Resistance filed paperwork this week with the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office that would allow it to begin collecting signatures on a petition to force a vote on the issue.If it were successful in getting the measure on the ballot, it would not be before 2010.
Same-sex couples have been free to marry in Massachusetts since 2004, but only if they were residents of the state.
Then-Gov. Mitt Romney (R) dusted off a 1913 law that said marriage licenses could not be issued to couples whose weddings would not be recognized in their home states, and threatened to charge local clerks if they issued marriage licenses to out-of-state, same-sex couples.
The old law was originally passed when interracial marriage was legal in Massachusetts but not in most other parts of the country.
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned state bans on interracial marriage, the Massachusetts law fell into disuse.
Last month, current Gov. Deval Patrick (D) signed legislation repealing the law.
Mass Resistance spokesperson Brian Camenker told the Assopicated Press on Friday that lawmakers and Patrick bowed to the will of the “gay lobby” by approving the repeal of the 1913 law.
The repeal effort is considered unlikely to succeed. Patrick has a high approval rating and polls indicated most Massachusetts voters are comfortable with same-sex marriage.
An attempt to put a measure on the ballot to ban same-sex marriage altogether in the state failed to win support in the legislature last year.
I also find it amazing that the conservative right has this urge to attack the LGBT community which is made up of a majority of loving law abiding citizens. We make the news often because we choose to love someone of our choosing. The conservative right say they must stand in our way to protect America. Protect America from what, love? If the conservative right really want to protect America then they would stand up against the well organized gangs in all our cities. The conservative right should be standing up for border security and put an end to the mass illegal immigration that has lowered the quality of life in many cities and states. I was just sent an email that showed at a high school in CA. Mexican students took down the United States flag, raised the Mexican flag with the U.S. flag upside down under the Mexican flag. The conservative right seem to think that the LGBT community is more of a threat to America than the massive criminal activity in America and those that come here who hate America. Are they blind? Most LGBT people I know are wonderful people.
Don’t these religious conservative individuals have any other cause to fight for? Why pick against the LGBT community? Many of these claim to believe in Christ and that I respect but I think they should use their energy to help the homeless, take care of the elderly, donate money to international charities that support poor children around the world. Why are they so obsessive with us? Why do they care if we have the right to marry? I don’t understand.
fr Rachel Miller:
>…If the anti-gay marriage referendum is defeated in CA this November, the Religious Right will need to find a new group to hate. I see gay marriage being legalized up the west coast and throughout New England within the next 10 years…<
I totally agree, Rachel. About 3 years ago, a friend of mine took me to lunch for helping her with her computer, and we got to talking about marriage equality. Terry said that she truly felt that marriage equality would be here in our lifetime, and she was right! Patty and I married June 28, and it’s great!
You can bet the the majority of the haters vote republican, the party of hate.
This is like Groundhog Day … an endless loop …
Ugh!