After weeks of rumors, President George W. Bush has declared war on gay and lesbian couples and families. On Tuesday, he announced his support of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would ban marriages for gays and lesbians.
This would be the first time since prohibition that the Constitution would be used to limit the rights of Americans. It would mean that more than 1,000 benefits of marriage would continue to be denied to gays.
Bush said his actions are spurred on by the scheduled same-sex marriages in Massachusetts May 17, pushed forward by 'activist' judges, and the ongoing marriages of couples in San Francisco.
While activist groups have been anticipating Bush's support for weeks, many are still worried how this will play out in the campaign for the White House this fall. Even some conservatives have opposed amending the U.S. Constitution as a way of dealing with the issue of gay and lesbian marriage.
Following are excerpts from Bush's remarks Feb. 24, carried live around the U.S.:
'Eight years ago, Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage for purposes of federal law as the legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. The act passed the House of
Representatives by a vote of 342-67 and the Senate by a vote of 85-14.
'Those congressional votes, and the passage of similar defense of marriage laws in 38 states, express an overwhelming consensus in our country for protecting the institution of marriage. In recent months, however, some activist judges and local officials have made an aggressive attempt to redefine marriage. In Massachusetts, four judges on the highest court have indicated they will order the issuance of marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender in May of this year.
'Those who want to change the meaning of marriage will claim that this provision requires all states and cities to recognize same-sex marriages performed anywhere in America. Congress attempted to address this problem in the Defense of Marriage Act by declaring that no state must accept another state's definition of marriage. My administration will vigorously defend this act of Congress. Yet there is no assurance that the Defense of Marriage Act will not itself be struck down by activist courts.
'In that event, every state would be forced to recognize any relationship that judges in Boston or officials in San Francisco choose to call a marriage. Furthermore, even if the Defense of Marriage Act is upheld, the law does not protect marriage within any state or city. For all these reasons, the defense of marriage requires a constitutional amendment.
'An amendment to the Constitution is never to be undertaken lightly. The amendment process has addressed many serious matters of national concern, and the preservation of marriage rises to this level of national importance.
'The union of a man and woman is the most enduring human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith. Ages of experience have taught humanity that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society. Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society.
'In San Francisco, city officials have issued thousands of marriage licenses to people of the same gender, contrary to the California Family Code. That code, which clearly defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, was approved overwhelmingly by the voters of California. A county in New Mexico has also issued marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender. And unless action is taken, we can expect more arbitrary court decisions, more litigation, more defiance of the law by local officials, all of which adds to uncertainty.
'After more than two centuries of American jurisprudence and millennia of human experience, a few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization. Their actions have created confusion on an issue that requires clarity. On a matter of such importance, the voice of the people must be heard. Activist courts have left the people with one recourse. If we're to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America.
'Decisive and democratic action is needed because attempts to redefine marriage in a single state or city could have serious consequences throughout the country. The Constitution says that full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts and records and judicial proceedings of every other state.'
There are two proposals before Congress, and it is not known which one Bush backs.
As Windy City Times went to press Tuesday morning, gay-rights groups across the nation condemned the move.
Updates: www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com .
