California’s
new threat to marriage
In
the wake of San Francisco turning marriage upside down for 29 days with 4,037
homosexual “marriages,” a Democrat assemblyman is now pushing to
expand San Francisco’s “gay marriages” statewide. This
shocking legislation is capturing the attention of pro-family Californians
everywhere.
AB
1967 by San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno, a homosexual activist, would allow
any “two persons” - two men or two women - to receive a
government-approved “gender-neutral” marriage license. This radical
bill is co-authored by 20 Democrat legislators, including San Diego’s
lesbian activist Assemblywoman Christine Kehoe.
GUEST COMMENT
AB
1967 would completely destroy the uniqueness of the sacred institution of
marriage for a man and a woman. Leno wants to create full-blown homosexual
“marriage,” impose it upon the entire state, and completely
overturn the vote of the people that demanded the law protect the natural design
of marriage for a man and a woman. In 2000, voters passed California’s
Proposition 22 by 63 percent in San Diego County and 73 percent in Riverside
County.
Sacramento’s
AB 1967 comes after great damage has already been done to the sacred
institution of marriage. Last year, 87 percent of Democrats in the California
State Legislature (including every Democrat state legislator from San Diego
County) voted to pass AB 205, creating “gay marriage by another
name.” Campaign for California Families and others have filed lawsuits to
overturn AB 205 because it blatantly violates Proposition 22.
When
you stop and think about it, you quickly realize how special and exclusive
marriage is. The sacred institution of marriage is essential to civilization.
We have enjoyed its benefits from time immemorial. Through marriage we receive
the bonds of kinship, and the progression of children and family through the
miracle of procreation. It is unjust and unconscionable to rob marriage of its
uniqueness by awarding the rights of marriage to people who aren’t
married. No civilization can survive without a strong commitment to marriage.
To attack marriage between a man and a woman is to attack the very foundation
of family and society.
Californians
want marriage protected. In March 2000, Proposition 22, the Protection of
Marriage Initiative, passed overwhelmingly with the support of 4.6 million
people - 61.4% of the electorate. Fifty-two out of 58 counties voted to protect
the rights of marriage for only a man and a woman. So did voters in 101 out of
120 state legislative districts. Among racial and ethnic groups, exit polls
showed Proposition 22 was supported by 58% of white voters, 59% of Asian
voters, 62% of black voters, and 65% of Latino voters.
To
help voters know whom they can trust to protect marriage, Campaign for
California Families has developed the Marriage Protection Pledge. Candidates
and elected representatives who sign it promise to use their votes, powers and
privileges to protect the rights of marriage for only a man and a woman.
Webster’s
defines marriage as “The legal union of a man and woman as husband and
wife.” Do you believe that the rights, benefits, privileges and incidents
of marriage are for only a man and a woman, a husband and wife? So do most
Californians! They know that any two people can get married if they are of age,
not closely related, and of the opposite sex. Marriage between a man and a
woman is basic truth that is self-evident.
Do your part to save marriage in California. Please call
your state assembly member and state senator and urge them to “Protect
marriage for a man and a woman. I want you to publicly oppose AB 1967, which
would impose homosexual ‘marriage’ upon California in violation of
my vote on Proposition 22.”
State Assembly members:
Patricia Bates (Republican - Oceanside), 949-495-0730; Ray Haynes (Republican -
Temecula), 909-669-1113; Shirley Horton (Republican - San Diego), 619-234-7878;
Christine Kehoe (Democrat - San Diego), AB 1967 co-author, 619-294-7600; Jay La
Suer (Republican - La Mesa), 619-465-7723; George Plescia (Republican - Poway),
858-385-0070; Juan Vargas (Democrat - Chula Vista), 619-409-7979; Mark Wyland
(Republican - Vista), 760-631-7670.
State
Senators: Dede Alpert (Democrat - San Diego), 619-645-3090; Denise
Ducheny (Republican - Chula Vista), 619-409-7690; Dennis Hollingsworth
(Republican - Temecula), 909-676-1020; Bill Morrow (Republican - San Juan
Capistrano), 949-489-9838.
Randy
Thomasson is executive director of Campaign for California Families, a
statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan family issues leadership organization. Their
web site is www.savecalifornia.com.