On Anniversary of Massachusetts Same-Sex 'Marriage' Ruling, Pro-family Group Vows to Fight on
One the one-year anniversary of the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling which redefined marriage by legalizing same-sex “marriage,” the Coalition for Marriage & Family issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to defend traditional marriage in Massachusetts.
Last year on November 18, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, ruled there was no rational reason to deny homosexuals the right to marry.
Kris Mineau, spokesman for the Coalition for Marriage & Family and President of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said the ruling was far from benign since it “created substantial confusion and inequality for individuals, families and the nation.”
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"The SJC's decision has resulted in more children being raised without the benefit of either a mother or a father. Schools and textbooks will increasingly embrace homosexual marriage as equal to traditional marriage, and a culture of gender confusion is being fostered for children everywhere," Mineau said in the statement.
Mineau also charged the Goodridge decision as being “discriminatory, in that it does nothing to provide for individuals and families, like a sister who cares for her disabled brother, who have a legitimate need for the legal and health benefits now sought by same-sex couples."
But "marriage is about more than tax credits and other financial benefits," according to Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council, added.
"It is about preserving the best environment for raising children and the safest, healthiest living situation for adults. Without strong marriages as our bedrock, our nation will suffer a devastating blow," he stated on Wednesday.
The statement listed events since the Goodridge decision which showed the nation’s opposition to same-sex marriage. Thirty-eight states have enacted Defense of Marriage Acts and 17 have approved constitutional amendments defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman, according to the statement. The ruling also acted as a catalyst toward the re-election of George W. Bush and spurred a grassroots effort among social conservatives which led to the formation of a group of “values” voters.
"There is no mixed message here,” asserted Mineau. “Voters have rejected same-sex marriage whenever and wherever it has been on the ballot. Here in Massachusetts public opinion surveys indicate more than 70 per cent of registered voters want to vote and have their views recorded on the same issue."
Massachusetts legislators have sponsored a same-sex marriage ban which was already approved by lawmakers this year but needs to be passed again the next legislative session before being submitted to voters in the 2006 election. The amendment would ban same-sex marriage but allow civil unions.
The President has also said he would continue to push for a federal marriage amendment defining marriage between a man and a woman.
"The Coalition for Marriage & Family is committed to "Let the People Vote" in Massachusetts, as well," said Mineau. "The people of Massachusetts are not out of step with the rest of the nation; the activist majority of the Supreme Judicial Court is out of step."
The Coalition for Marriage & Family is a broad-based organization supporting traditional marriage and other pro-family issues. Massachusetts Family Institute is a Coalition member and the Commonwealth's leading advocate for traditional family values.
