Media Release
For Immediate Release
DontAmend Tampa Bay
Contact:
R. Zeke Fread
Coordinator & Organizer
Massachusetts Court Rules Toward Equal
Marriage for Same and Opposite-Sex Couples
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled
that same and opposite-sex couples must be
given equal civil marriage rights under the state
constitution. This ruling makes Massachusetts the
first state to take a step forward toward granting
marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.
The court ruled that civil marriage in Massachusetts means
“the voluntary union of two persons as
spouses, to the exclusion of all
others,” the Court allowed the Legislature 180 days to change the
civil marriage statutes
accordingly.
California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, and
Hawaii have domestic partner laws that allow
same-sex couples access to some of the basic benefits and
protections afforded to married
heterosexual couples. And Vermont has same-sex civil
unions. However, 37 states have passed
laws denying recognition to same-sex
marriages.
President Bush wasted no time in attacking the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling.
"Marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a
woman," Bush said
in a statement released
in London. He vowed to do everything in his power to defend the sanctity of
marriage. As expected,
the right wing media has
pounced on this story, flooding the airwaves with leaders of religious right groups. Allowing
the Farwell's, Sheldon's and the like to spew
their anti-gay and same-sex
marriage
rhetoric to insight fear
in the general public. These same groups have
mobilized their forces and
intensified their efforts to further push for the passage
of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which
states "Marriage in the United States shall consist only
of the union of a man and a woman."
With each advance toward equality for same-sex couples
rights. Such as the Supreme Court ruling
that struck down Texas' sodomy law
and with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rulings that
same and opposite-sex couples must be
given equal civil marriage rights under the state
constitution.
The religious right fanatic's increase their attacks on
the courts and on gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender Americans.
As all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.can celebrate these advances toward
equality for our rights. We must not be lured into a
false sense of security. This is a time for us to
join together and intensify our efforts in fighting
passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Which if passed, would deny the right for
any state to pass any legislation that would recognize
same-sex marriages and make the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Courts ruling moot.
DontAmend Tampa Bay, which is apart of the
National DontAmend Campaign, is dedicated to
the defeat of the Federal Marriage Amendment. We ask that you contact us or visit our websites
for the latest news, media releases, petitions you can sign
and actions you can take to help defeat
this anti-gay rights constitutional amendment.
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