Thu. August 7, 2003
Washington, D.C. -
The Rev Jerry Falwell announced Wednesday that he is putting aside everything to devote his time to passage of a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
"I am dedicating my talents, time and energies over the next few years to the passage of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which will protect the traditional family from its enemies who wish to legalize same-sex marriage and other diverse "family" forms," Falwell said.
Calling it "his line in the sand' Falwell said he is recruiting one million Americans to sign a Federal Marriage Amendment Petition which would be forwarded to all 535 members of Congress and to President Bush.
Falwell has set up a website to solicit support: http://www.onemanonewoman.com
In a stinging rebuke of the Supreme Court, which recently ruled laws banning sodomy between consenting adults are unconstitutional, Falwell said "it is imperative that we remove the sacred biblical definition of marriage from the reach of unelected and valueless federal judges who would seek to protect newly fashionable sexual trends by recklessly affording them with legal protections.
Falwell has a long tradition of attacking gays. He was a major factor in the overturn of the Miami gay civil rights law in the late 1970's. Working with singer and Christian activist Anita Bryant, Falwell portrayed gays as child molestors. It would take more than 20 years to get the law approved.
Following the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, Falwell pointed the finger at gays and feminists. He later apologized.
Wednesday, Falwell said: "We must not allow our children and children's children to grow up in a nation with legalized polygamy, common law marriage and same-sex marriage. The only way to put the traditional and biblical family form of one man married to one woman safely out of the reach of future courts and legislatures is to pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) is sponsoring the Federal Marriage Amendment. It is currently in the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution. Republican Senators are also looking at Amendment legislation.
Musgrave's bill says "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups."
To amend the Constitution, the legislation must be passed by two-thirds of the U.S. House and Senate and ratified by three-fourths of the state legislature.
by Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau
©365Gay.com® 2003
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