Tue. February 24, 2004
Washington, D.C. -
President George W. Bush ended months of speculation this morning and announced his support for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
In a White House news conference the president called "the union of man and woman one of our most enduring institutions," and urged Congress to move forward on legislation to begin the amendment processes.
Bush said that court rulings in Massachusetts legalizing same-sex marriage in May and the issuing of marriage licenses to gay couples in San Francisco has profound effects for all Americans.
The president said that protecting heterosexual marriage was not discrimination but protecting "civilization", and he left open the possibility for states to allow civil unions.
"The amendment should fully protect marriage while leaving state legislatures free to make their own choices in defining legal arrangements other than marriage," Bush said.
Bush has been under intense criticism from conservative Christian groups to make the announcement. Last week several key conservatives said their followers would desert the Republican Party if the president did not announce his support for the amendment.
Until now, Bush has used words like "deeply troubled" to describe the unfolding events in San Francisco and Boston.
The announcement did not come as a surprise to LGBT civil rights groups. It had been expected for some time.
"Using the constitution to deny rights to same-sex couples is wrong and un-American," Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Mark Shields told 365Gay.com.
"History does not judge leaders kindly who try to deny rights to fellow Americans," Shields said
"President Bush fails to understand that our families are more than political red meat that he can throw before his anti-gay base," said Dave Noble, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director.
"The President has clearly demonstrated that it is no longer acceptable for our community to merely vote against this man. Each one of us now has the responsibility to actively work to deny him a second term."
The anti-marriage amendment has been introduced by Republicans as Senate Joint Resolution 26 and House Joint Resolution 56. In the House of Representatives, the amendment has 107 Republican sponsors along with six Democrats. In the Senate, the amendment is supported by seven Republicans and one Democrat. In 2003, National Stonewall Democrats announced that it will withhold support for any Congressional Democrat who supports the anti-marriage amendment.
In order to add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a resolution must first be passed by two-thirds of each chamber of Congress. It must then be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, who have up to seven years to approve any such amendment.
by Paul Johnson
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau Chief
©365Gay.com® 2004
Transcript of Bush Statement on Same-Sex Marriage
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