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Loading ...Marriage ruling not end to debate in Conn.
10.13.2008 8:55am EDT
(Hartford, Connecticut) Now that the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled same-sex couples have the right to wed, opponents of gay marriage are pinning their hopes on an infrequent ballot question in a longshot bid to block the unions.
Every 20 years, voters can force a convention during which delegates can rewrite the entire constitution. It’s a long, painstaking process that could cost millions and, by coincidence, it’s on the ballot this November.“This is our one opportunity for the people to have a voice, for the people to be heard, for them to decide whether marriage will be protected as between a man and a woman,” said Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut.
On Friday, the state Supreme Court ruled that Connecticut would be the third state, after California and Massachusetts, to allow gay marriage. The court said Connecticut’s 2005 civil union law doesn’t give same-sex couples the same status as married heterosexual couples.
Unlike California, where next month’s ballot referendum will decide whether to outlaw gay marriage, Connecticut voters are being asked to consider only if they want a constitutional convention. If so, convention delegates would be appointed by the state General Assembly, which is largely comprised of Democrats who are sympathetic to same-sex issues.
State Rep. Mike Lawlor, co-chairman of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee, said he’s not sure everyone understands the constitutional convention process.
“It is a very elaborate, months-long process in which a group of people basically rewrite the whole state constitution,” he said. “It costs millions of dollars and requires a special statewide election. If you just want to make a specific amendment to it, which it sounds like they are talking about, then there is a lot easier way to do it.”
That would be the legislative amendment process, which typically requires a three-quarters vote of both General Assembly houses to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
There have been 30 amendments passed since 1965, the last time the state held a constitutional convention.
Wolfgang said his group has not ruled out seeking an amendment from lawmakers, but is focusing on getting out the “yes” votes in November.
“The real battle will be Election Day,” he said. “Even in a state with a legislature as liberal as ours, we have defeated our opponents year after year through the legislative process. They could never have gotten same-sex marriage through the Democratic process. Democracy is gay marriage’s worst enemy.”
Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a gay marriage opponent who also supports amending the Constitution to allow for initiatives and referendum, said she is “firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision either legislatively or by amending the state constitution will not meet with success.”
Andrew McDonald, the Judiciary Committee’s Senate co-chairman, said he expects the General Assembly to take up gay marriage next year – but only to codify the Supreme Court’s ruling, and not to attempt to change the state’s constitution.
“I continue to expect a bipartisan effort to eradicate any remaining vestiges of discrimination,” he said.
Lawmakers will have some issues to discuss, such as what to do with state’s civil unions law, which remains in effect. More than 1,500 civil unions have been granted since the General Assembly approved them in 2005.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said new marriage forms eventually will be needed, but in the interim, clerks can make them more gender neutral by simply crossing out references to man and woman or husband and wife on current forms.
The ruling does not mean churches or synagogues must perform same-sex marriages, but some are expected to embrace the new law.
“I think there is great rejoicing, although we are aware that for some people this is troubling and difficult,” said. Rev. David Foy Crabtree, Connecticut conference minister for the United Church of Christ. “People come out all over the map on it, but among our clergy there is a very, very high percentage who will respond very favorably to this.”
If you wonder why facts don’t have any effect on today’s conservatives – why, for example, they continue to insist that gay marriage means the end of civilization, or that being gay is a choice, or that gays should vote for McCain/Palin, when the facts point to exactly the opposite – you might find that the following online book, which is a free download, explains a lot.
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/ – The Authoritarians by Bob Altemeyer, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba
Altemeyer’s research into the authoritarian mentality was used by John Dean, the former Nixon legal counsel, in his book called Conservatives Without Conscience, in which he points out that the GOP has been taken over by fundamentalists and other right-wing extremists, and that authoritarianism now dominates conservative thinking.
Refresh my memory, why should we support Obama, when during a time that true “Change” is finally possible for millions of gay Americans, Obama is absolutely silent on the issues! He has offered No leadership on Prop 8 in California (while his supporters actually preach for Prop 8 to pass) or the upcoming battle in Conn. All Obama offers is an empty promise of segragation in a “Separate But Equal” civil union that the Conn. Supreme Court has just ruled are DISCRIMINATORY TO GAYS!
Wayne:
Because he is the most queer friendly candidate up to date that has a real shot of being elected President.
Even if you don’t support him (which is fine), he’ll support us by advancing us in ways that W and the Republicans never had (or will).
I’m sure if someone ask him about Prop 8, he’ll answer correctly. Biden’s answer during the vice-presidential debate was probably the most progressive answer ever in the history thusfar when he said that LBGTQ people’s rights are protected under the US Constitution (Thank God).
Wayne said: “Refresh my memory…”
Many on this site have repeatedly tried to refresh your memory on that issue. Doesn’t seem to work, though. You’re apparently too obsessed with getting McCain/Palin elected to absorb what anyone else says.
These referendums are crazy. Why the heck is someones rights allowed to be put up for a popular vote?
Do you think that African-Americans would go for a “Well maybe they should be slaves again” vote? Absolutely not! How about Jewish rights, No WAY!
This country is not a Democracy but a Republic. There is a huge difference between the two. Democracies allow for a majority rule. Republics are set up to require a “Super Majority” to pass anything like this. This is done specifically to protect the rights of a few from the will of the many. This is exactly why the founding Fathers made it this way.
These referendums circumvent that process and are un-american to say the least.
Canada is looking better & better every day.
Just beware! Connecticut should not change its constitution. No convention! As for the initiative and referendum process, you have only to look at California to see how disfuctional it is! They don’t need a legislature; The people can override whatever they do. Don’t like the governor?? Change him. The older states like Mass, Ct, NY, and Iowa got it right. (And this had nothing to do with gay rights.) Trust the courts and the legislatures to do the right things… eventually.
And yet none of you answer the question:
Why should we support Obama, when during a time that true “Change” is finally possible for millions of gay Americans, Obama is absolutely silent on the issues! He has offered No leadership on Prop 8 in California (while his supporters actually preach for Prop 8 to pass) or the upcoming battle in Conn. All Obama offers is an empty promise of segragation in a “Separate But Equal” civil union that the Conn. Supreme Court has just ruled are DISCRIMINATORY TO GAYS! THIS IS NOT A GAY FRIENDLY CANDIDATE
Reply
OBAMA WANTS TO SEGREGATE GAYS INTO A FAILED SEPARATE BUT EQUAL POLICY OF CIVIL UNIONS THAT THE SUPREME COURT OF CONN. HAS ALREADY RULED ARE DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST GAY PEOPLE. THAT’S WHAT YOU GUYS CALL BEING THE MOST “QUEER FRIENDLY CANDIDATE”. YOU GUYS HAVE DRANK WAY TOO MUCH KOOL-AIDE. YOU WOULD RATHER FURTHER OBAMA’S CAREER THAT YOU WOULD FURTHER GAY RIGHTS. SAD. REALLY SAD.
Excuse me, Mr. Wolfgang, but we have a REPUBLIC, not a democracy. California, Connecticut, etc. have State Legislatures dominated by Democrats because that’s who WE THE PEOPLE ELECTED, AND WANT! Both at the State and the Federal level, we have frequent opportunities to vote legislators out of office who don’t serve OUR interests … the interests of the ELECTORATE. Equal marriage rights withstood the democratic process repeatedly in California. It was a REPUBLICAN governator who thwarted the will of the Legislature, and by extension, the will of the people, BECAUSE WE ELECTED THEM. If you recall, we DIDN’T elect Ah-nold. At the Federal level, it is a marriage DISCRIMINATION constitutional amendment that has NOT withstood the democratic process … and the number of its supporters continue to shrink. After the cleansing of the congressional Aegean Stables next month, I doubt that many will remain.
Cheers,
Bud Clark
San Diego CA USA
As a CT resident and an elder out gay man, I am very proud of our state Supremes, but certainly not complacent about this not being challenged. It is very much a long shot for a voter referendum however. It’s been decades since the last time it was done, and that was a matter over taxes. Gov. Rell is only in office since the last Gov was tossed for corruption. It’s highly unlikely that she’ll retain the office.
Wayne my firend,
Do you suppose that McBush would even allow such much as civil unions, I don’t think so.
Again, at the risk of repeating myself, we gays blew it when we didn’t support Kucinich enough one of only two candidates who sukpport gay marriage.
Here we are after ebing blinded by the media spotlight on Hillary and Obama and thrilled, dazed and bedazzled by all the glitter and glammor showering those two, it’s no surprise to me that we are left with a less tham ideal candidate that we’ll have to live with. Obama is for himself. But hopefully better than McBush.
Hopefully, Obama won’t pull a real big “Pinocchio” on us once he gets on gay votes. He could for all we know, once he’s in turn his back on us gays and can forget us.
evert time a court passes,or a legaslature passes rights for gays the religious right thinks they can vote it out its about time we vote out thier tax exemptions,they been getting away with far too much for far too long.
Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, is quoted as saying “Democracy is gay marriage’s worst enemy.”
Really Mr. Wolfgang? Look north sir. It has been our best friend in Canada. You know, that socialist friend of the US that does all kinds of crazy things, like insuring every man, woman and child for healthcare.
I wish to see all hate go. People are spirit energy, and the same energy. Study metaphysics! Auras, 3rd eye, chakras.