Stonewall Responds to MA Marriage Vote
(Tuesday, January 02, 2007)
Washington, DC - Today, the National Stonewall Democrats commented on the advancement of an anti-marriage initiative promoted by Republicans in Massachusetts. The vote to advance the amendment came today during a constitutional convention held by state lawmakers. Democrats overwhelmingly voted against advancing the measure, which needed only 50 votes to proceed.
"Democrats in Massachusetts overwhelmingly recognize that every family is strengthened when the legal responsibilities of civil marriage are extended to all couples," said Jo Wyrick, NSD Executive Director. "These legal obligations serve society by protecting children, stabilizing homes and securing relationships. We are proud that Democrats in Massachusetts fully support these values."
The amendment was proposed by Republicans and anti-marriage advocates who circulated petitions to place the measure before the constitutional convention. Although lawmakers voted 132-61 against the measure, it only needed the support of 25% of the convention attendees (50 votes) to proceed. The measure must again be approved by 25% of participants during the next legislative session to be placed before Massachusetts voters for approval in 2008.
Democratic Governor Deval Patrick met with lawmakers earlier in the day to express his opposition to the discriminatory measure.
"Using the initiative process to give a minority fewer freedoms than the majority, and to inject the state into fundamentally private affairs, is a dangerous precedent, and an unworthy one for this Commonwealth," Patrick said in a statement distributed to lawmakers. "For practical reasons as well, its time to move on," the statement said. "Whatever ones views of marriage equality, all can agree that we have far more pressing issues before the Legislature and the Commonwealth. It serves no public interest to focus more time and attention on this issue when there are under-served and under-performing schools, an infrastructure showing signs of sustained neglect, gun and gang violence on the rise, jobs and people leaving the state, a growing homeless population, soaring health care costs, a looming deficit and a score of other serious challenges crying out for the attention and the creativity of the government and the people. We cannot in good conscience ask these unmet needs to wait while a few individuals try to insert discrimination into our Constitution.
Civil marriage for same-sex couples has been legal in Massachusetts since 2004. Over 8,000 such couples in the commonwealth have legally married since that time. The proposed amendment would outlaw such marriages within Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Democratic Party fully supports marriage equality for same-sex couples in the state. The state Democratic Parties of Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Hawaii, New York and Washington State also support extending civil marriage to same-sex couples as per their party platforms.
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National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, with more than 90 local chapters across the nation. NSD is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
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