Stop the Politics of Hatred against LGBT Families

Contact Your Senators: Stop the Politics of Hatred against LGBT Families

Please take a minute to contact your Senators THIS WEEK in the name of justice, tolerance and equality. The mis-named "Marriage Protection Amendment” (S.J. Res. 1) is an attempt to etch discrimination into our Constitution and declare second-class status for LGBT individuals, especially those who want to marry the person they love. On a straight party-line vote of 10 - 8, S.J. Res. 1 was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 18, where Senator Feingold (D-WI) left the "markup" saying it had been held improperly and Committee Chair Senator Specter (R-PA) sent him out the door with "Good riddance." So much for the comity of the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Frist (R-Tenn) has promised to have a vote on this amendment as early as June 6, 2006. The Federal Marriage Amendment is the Republicans' latest attempt to distract the public from real issues like the price of gasoline, ongoing killing in Iraq, and good jobs with healthcare benefits. Instead Senator Frist and his cronies are focused on inciting homophobia and intolerance.

Action Needed:

This Constitutional Amendment requires a 2/3 vote of the 100 member Senate and is guaranteed to be a political wedge issue that divides the nation and rallies conservative support for the November elections -- especially since Republican support in the polls of public opinion continues to dwindle.

Your Senators may be in your district this week. Please call or visit their in-state office or send them a message TODAY to let them know that they must vote NO on the Federal Marriage Amendment because it will enshrine discrimination in our Constitution.

The Senate voted on this amendment once before in July, 2004. 50 Senators opposed amending the Constitution and 48 supported it. There are now more conservatives in the Senate, so the vote will be closer. Check to see how your Senators voted so that you can thank our supporters. Encourage them to stay the course in these highly partisan and bitter political times where there is a lot of hateful name calling and nasty electoral accusations being thrown around.

Background:

The Constitutional Amendment to ban same sex marriage was first introduced in the 108th Congress by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO). In July 2004, a vote was held on S.J. Res. 40 requiring a 2/3 vote in favor to support for the Amendment to pass. The amendment failed 48-50 in the United States Senate. Since then, 16 states have passed hateful and hurtful constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage including: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. This year many states including Alabama, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin, to name a few, are holding statewide referendums on constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage.

On Jan. 24, 2005, Senator Allard again reintroduced the Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (S.J. Res. 1) to once again ban same-sex marriages. The language of the amendment, which currently has 29 co-sponsors, is just as damaging as it was in the 108th Congress. The so-called "Marriage Protection Amendment” seeks to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman.

On May 18th the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the constitutional amendment 10-8, along party lines. The vote took place in a small room off the Senate floor that was closed to the general public. The Committee hearing led to a scuffle between the Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Senator Feingold (D-WI). Senator Feingold announced his dismay at Specter’s decision to hold the hearing behind closed doors and refused to help make a quorum. As Senator Feingold got ready to leave Specter shouted "I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more a protector of the Constitution than am I. If you want to leave, good riddance." Feingold rose from his seat to leave and said to Specter, "I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman. See ya."

Senator Feingold and Kennedy (D-MA) have been two of the most vocal Democrats opposed to this hate-filled amendment. They have argued that instead of dealing with the challenging issues that face us today, the Republican Leadership is bringing the Federal Marriage Amendment to the Senate floor for a vote in hopes of increasing their conservative support and using this vote to castigate fair-minded Senators who are up for reelection in 2006.

Marriage in the United States usually consists of two components, civil marriage and a religious ceremony. The first is required by law, the second is not. Freedom of religion guarantees each church has the right to decide whether or not to perform religious ceremonies for same-sex couples. However, federal and state governments should not be allowed to deny rights to any individual based on sex or sexual orientation.

Heterosexual married couples and their families are afforded more than 1,000 legal protections and economic benefits in state and federal law that are currently inaccessible to committed same-sex couples. Benefits of civil marriage include access to Social Security, Medicare, Family and Medical Leave, health care, disability, military and other government benefits.

Taking action around this issue is critical to preserving democracy and our concept of liberty and justice for all. Again, please call, visit or send an email TODAY to let your Senators know that defeating this discriminatory constitutional amendment is important to you and should be equally important to them if they honor equal justice for all.

Resources and talking points