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*. Parents, families zn$ Frkmf j of lesbians md Gap GREENSBORO, N.C. Vol 11 No. 3 Gay Marriage debate rages The issue of gay marriage has become the focus of intense debate across the country. In San Francisco, thousands of same-sex couples have been married at City Hall. In Washington, President Bush has endorsed a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. Massachusetts is on the brink of becoming the first state in which same-sex marriage is legal. And in more than a dozen states, legislatures are considering new laws or constitutional amendments to prevent gay marriage. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom started issuing marriage licenses and performing marriage ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples at City Hall on February 12. Since then more than 3,000 couples - coming from all over the country - have been married in San Francisco. So far several judges have refused to bring a halt to the ceremonies, despite the pleas of outraged right-wing groups. Other cities are also performing marriages for same-sex couples. In Portland Oregon, county officials started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on March 3. A second New York State mayor said that he will start marrying gay couples and plans to seek a license himself to marry his same-sex partner. Nyack mayor John Shields will join the New Paltz mayor, Jason West, in issuing the licenses. West vowed to go ahead with up to two dozen same-sex weddings this weekend, despite having been charged with 19 criminal counts and possibly facing jail time for marrying same-sex couples. * * * In Massachusetts, the state's highest court ruled in November that laws against same-sex marriage violate the state's constitution. Legislators hoped to bypass the ruling by offering "civil unions" instead of marriage for same-sex couples. But the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in February that separate is not equal and that nothing short of full marriage rights would satisfy the requirements of the state constitution. Greensboro PFLAG March meeting March 16, 7:30 p.m. Friendship Friends Meeting House 1103 New Garden Road March, 2004 Welcome to PFLAG. We offer a safe, confidential space in which to explore our feelings and understandings about the gay experience, especially "coming out" and what this means to families and other loved ones. Listen and share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with, knowing that others can understand. Welcome especially to our returning members whose love is so healing. That caused the legislature to try to come up with a constitutional amendment to make marriage only available for one man one woman. So far the legislature has deadlocked unable to agree on an amendment. They will try again on March 11, but even if they agree on an amendment, the earliest a public vote could take place is 2006 - leaving a two-year window in which gay marriage would be legal. The November ruling gave the state a 6 month time limit to approve gay marriage - so it should be legal beginning in May. * * * President Bush, reacting to the news from San Francisco and Massachusetts, endorsed an amendment to the U.S. constitution forbidding same-sex marriage. He claims that permitting gays to marry somehow undermines the sanctity of marriage. LGBT organizations strongly criticized the president noting that this would be the first amendment to impose discrimination against a group of citizens. Even the Log Cabin Republicans strongly denounced the president's call for an amendment. A sub-committee of the Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings on a possible amendment on March 3. Saying same-sex marriages are likely to spread across America like a "wildfire," Senate majority leader Bill Frist exhorted Congress Wednesday to embrace a constitutional amendment banning them. "We simply will not let activist judges redefine that definition of marriage," the Tennessee Republican told the Senate Judiciary Constitution subcommittee. "We will not let activist judges redefine—I would say radically redefine—what marriage is, and that is a union between a man and a woman." Nevertheless it appears that it will be difficult for an amendment to pass Congress - it needs two-thirds of both houses to be approved (and then still needs approval by 38 state legislatures). Even many conservative Republicans oppose tinkering with die constitution.
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Transcript | *. Parents, families zn$ Frkmf j of lesbians md Gap GREENSBORO, N.C. Vol 11 No. 3 Gay Marriage debate rages The issue of gay marriage has become the focus of intense debate across the country. In San Francisco, thousands of same-sex couples have been married at City Hall. In Washington, President Bush has endorsed a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. Massachusetts is on the brink of becoming the first state in which same-sex marriage is legal. And in more than a dozen states, legislatures are considering new laws or constitutional amendments to prevent gay marriage. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom started issuing marriage licenses and performing marriage ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples at City Hall on February 12. Since then more than 3,000 couples - coming from all over the country - have been married in San Francisco. So far several judges have refused to bring a halt to the ceremonies, despite the pleas of outraged right-wing groups. Other cities are also performing marriages for same-sex couples. In Portland Oregon, county officials started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on March 3. A second New York State mayor said that he will start marrying gay couples and plans to seek a license himself to marry his same-sex partner. Nyack mayor John Shields will join the New Paltz mayor, Jason West, in issuing the licenses. West vowed to go ahead with up to two dozen same-sex weddings this weekend, despite having been charged with 19 criminal counts and possibly facing jail time for marrying same-sex couples. * * * In Massachusetts, the state's highest court ruled in November that laws against same-sex marriage violate the state's constitution. Legislators hoped to bypass the ruling by offering "civil unions" instead of marriage for same-sex couples. But the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in February that separate is not equal and that nothing short of full marriage rights would satisfy the requirements of the state constitution. Greensboro PFLAG March meeting March 16, 7:30 p.m. Friendship Friends Meeting House 1103 New Garden Road March, 2004 Welcome to PFLAG. We offer a safe, confidential space in which to explore our feelings and understandings about the gay experience, especially "coming out" and what this means to families and other loved ones. Listen and share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with, knowing that others can understand. Welcome especially to our returning members whose love is so healing. That caused the legislature to try to come up with a constitutional amendment to make marriage only available for one man one woman. So far the legislature has deadlocked unable to agree on an amendment. They will try again on March 11, but even if they agree on an amendment, the earliest a public vote could take place is 2006 - leaving a two-year window in which gay marriage would be legal. The November ruling gave the state a 6 month time limit to approve gay marriage - so it should be legal beginning in May. * * * President Bush, reacting to the news from San Francisco and Massachusetts, endorsed an amendment to the U.S. constitution forbidding same-sex marriage. He claims that permitting gays to marry somehow undermines the sanctity of marriage. LGBT organizations strongly criticized the president noting that this would be the first amendment to impose discrimination against a group of citizens. Even the Log Cabin Republicans strongly denounced the president's call for an amendment. A sub-committee of the Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings on a possible amendment on March 3. Saying same-sex marriages are likely to spread across America like a "wildfire," Senate majority leader Bill Frist exhorted Congress Wednesday to embrace a constitutional amendment banning them. "We simply will not let activist judges redefine that definition of marriage," the Tennessee Republican told the Senate Judiciary Constitution subcommittee. "We will not let activist judges redefine—I would say radically redefine—what marriage is, and that is a union between a man and a woman." Nevertheless it appears that it will be difficult for an amendment to pass Congress - it needs two-thirds of both houses to be approved (and then still needs approval by 38 state legislatures). Even many conservative Republicans oppose tinkering with die constitution. |