Gay marriage rights lost in Maine, local fight persists
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A Michigan legislator proposed a plan Wednesday to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, a day after the gay rights movement made progress locally and lost momentum nationally.
Michigan House of Representatives Speaker Pro Tempore Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, announced Wednesday she will introduce a plan that, if passed, will overturn the Marriage Protection Amendment, or Proposal 2, which outlawed same-sex marriage in the state in 2004.
Byrnes’ plan came in the wake of Tuesday’s election, which included both victories and defeats for gay rights activists.
Kalamazoo became Michigan’s 16th city to pass an ordinance preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity for employment, housing and public services.
Byrnes’ proposal would be an amendment to Michigan’s constitution and would need a two-thirds vote by the Legislature in order to be placed on the ballot in the November 2010 election.
If voters approved it, the amendment would legalize same-sex marriage in the state, recognize marriages from other states and include a provision to allow clergy members to deny certifying a marriage at their place of worship.
“This bill boils down to treating people with the dignity and respect everyone deserves,” Byrnes said at a press conference Wednesday at the Capitol.
“So many of us were raised to treat others how we would want to be treated, so it’s about time we started acting that way as well.”
Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, coauthored the Marriage Protection Amendment and said Michiganians have shown they are on his side.
“Marriage between a man and a woman has proven its benefit to society,” Glenn said. “As Michigan voters proved, most people in the state don’t think we should be engaging in a radical experiment of redefining marriage between a man and woman.”
However, voters in Maine — formerly one of six U.S. states permitting same-sex marriage — decided to veto marriage legislation passed earlier this year.
Maine Sen. Dennis Damon, who introduced the legislation, said he was disappointed with the election results, but said he couldn’t argue with how democracy works, even if it’s against his cause.
“We have chosen to allow the wall of discrimination and bigotry and bias to remain standing,” he said. “But I think we have put a good-sized crack in it. It’s my hope that someday, through our efforts, that we can finally tear it down.”
No state has legalized same-sex marriage through an election, despite 31 attempts across the country.
Byrnes said despite setbacks such as those in Maine, she will continue to fight to overturn Proposal 2.
“The fact that another state didn’t do the right thing, that doesn’t prevent us from trying to do the right thing,” Byrnes said.
Although Byrnes hopes to gather support to overturn the state’s ban, public opinion might not be on her side.
Ingham County Commissioner Mark Grebner, who also is an East Lansing-
based political consultant at Practical Political Consulting, Inc., asked Michigan residents to fill out a mock ballot including a measure to repeal the ban on same-sex marriage.
In September, Grebner released the results that 50 percent of Democrats, 60 percent of independents and 90 percent of Republicans would not vote to overturn the measure.
Grebner’s results indicate public opinion would need to change in order for Justin Ford, a communications senior and program assistant at the LBGT Resource Center to get married in Michigan.
Ford and his fiancé plan to get married in Boston, because Massachusetts allows same-sex marriage.
“If we could have our wedding and reception right in the same place in Michigan
and have it legal here, that would be awesome,” Ford said.
“All our family and friends would be able to witness our special day with us.”
Ford said he hopes Byrnes’ proposal will gather enough momentum to make it through the Legislature, but Glenn said he considers that a small possibility.
“If there is any momentum being built, it’s being built in one direction,” he said.
Commentary
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MotorCity007
(11/05/09 12:24am)Report
“Gay activists are trying to force their agenda on our children and society, and it bothers me,” White said in an interview with Citizen Magazine. “When you look at the gay agenda, their thing is that they deserve the same rights as other minorities, particularly black people. That is very offensive.” – Reggie White
MotorCity007
(11/05/09 12:28am)Report
Dr. Charles Socarides, Former NARTH President
“Homosexuality is a psychological and psychiatric disorder, there is no question about it. It is a purple menace that is threatening the proper design of gender distinctions in society.”
Dave
(11/05/09 1:17am)Report
I really hope this passes. I’m not going to get my hopes up too high though, with our lovely Republican Senate. Thank You Pam Byrnes for doing what the Government is supposed to, stand up for the rights of its citizens even if it is contrary to what “the people want.”
It all depends on voter turn out. It is about as difficult to find a young person who is against gay rights as it is to find a Republican who is for gay rights.
And MotorCity007, the American Psychology Association states that it is not a disorder, and even if it were, we are not allowed to discriminate against people with disabilities so long as they do not inflict upon the rights of others.
Ryan
(11/05/09 2:30am)Report
Stop destroying the traditional families. Homosexuality is sin. Lets not push it on the kids.
thomasAlex
(11/05/09 4:15am)Report
“Marriage between a man and a woman has proven its benefit to society,”
I wouldn’t call a P divorce rate, a benefit to society!!!
thomasAlex
(11/05/09 4:16am)Report
“Marriage between a man and a woman has proven its benefit to society,”
I wouldn’t call a 50 percent divorce rate, a benefit to society!!!
thomasAlex
(11/05/09 4:17am)Report
It’s only a sin, if you misinterpret the bible, or even believe in it. Stop forcing your Religion on others!
Chris Lieding
(11/05/09 4:37am)Report
I thought the roll of the elected legislature was to make laws and then for the courts to decide if those laws conflict with the constitution and thereby violate the human rights of individuals; suddenly I find our form of democracy is becoming nothing more than mob rule with the majority blithely voting away the rights of the minority. The initiative process might be O.K. to decide if a community is going to fund a new library or repaint the city hall blue but the rights of others should not be put to popular vote. If this had always been the case African- Americans would still be slaves and woman wouldn’t have the vote. The history of our nation has shown that freedom and equality have never come from the masses; they have always been forced on the population by a powerful government led by an enlightened intelligentsia, noble leaders, heroic elected officials and a learned judiciary. The “Land of the Free” has now become a combination oligarchy-theocracy-majority rule nightmare. We are descending back into the dark ages. The initiative process has become a dangerous crack in the foundation of our American civilization. How would you feel to have your neighbors vote away your marriages? The rights of others should never be put to a vote; this is the one thing that is supposed to be denied the people in a constitutional democracy. Majority rule democracy died with the ancient Greeks. Should I care whether I’m oppressed by a monarch, a dictator or just a bigoted neighbor?! It amounts to the same thing. The very fact that I feel a need to explain this to my fellow citizens shows a tragic failure of our education system to instill in our population a basic understanding of our form of government, how it works and why it has a moral right to exist and govern. The founders understood the tyranny of the mob as much as they understood the tyranny of a king or a pope and they feared all three and created a system to protect humanity from them. It must be a very secure feeling to know that one is always in the majority. Welcome to Fascism.
majority
(11/05/09 7:44am)Report
@dave: you just don’t know what young people to ask. there are a ton of people that are against gay marriage. in fact a majority of the country is. that is why in the 31 states where it was on the ballot, 31 states voted it down.
@chris
(11/05/09 7:57am)Report
we live in a representative democracy where we vote for our leaders and our leaders vote amongst themselves on our behalf. So the civil rights act of 1964 and the 14amendment were passed by those we voted to lead us.
so whether we vote individually or have our congressmen vote on our behalf, its the same thing, and the same outcome. A majority of americans wanted civil rights based on race, and a majority of americans don’t want gay marriage. like the above poster said…31 out of 31….
Ed T
(11/05/09 8:50am)Report
The gay rights movement should be pushing for a federal law that grants full legal statues for civil unions for gays.
Leave the word “marriage” out of it and a significant percentage of resistance will evaporate overnight. In fact, the only resistance left would be fundamentalist Christians, folks over 70, and straight men who are terrified of thier own sexual ambiguities … and that’s not much of a coalition.
msuguy
(11/05/09 9:15am)Report
Ed T is right, stating it as a civil union for gays rather than gay marriage completely changes most peoples opinion on the topic. Many other nations have used this to allow same sex couples to have equal rights as married couples
Tim
(11/05/09 9:43am)Report
Ed T is right, stating it as a civil union for gays rather than gay marriage completely changes most peoples opinion on the topic. Many other nations have used this to allow same sex couples to have equal rights as married couples
Which just goes to show how intellectually bankrupt opposition to gay marriage.
Tim
(11/05/09 9:46am)Report
Ed T is right, stating it as a civil union for gays rather than gay marriage completely changes most peoples opinion on the topic. Many other nations have used this to allow same sex couples to have equal rights as married couples
Which just goes to show how intellectually bankrupt opposition to gay marriage is.
MotorCity007
(11/05/09 10:14am)Report
I want to help all LGBT people out. Please go to this website http://www.narth.com/.
Help is out there for people with sexual disorders
turk
(11/05/09 10:19am)Report
I say that if you’re dumb enough to want to get married, go for it.
Bleed Green
(11/05/09 12:06pm)Report
Checked out your link, MotorCity007. What a f*cking joke.
Of course there are people who have had “successful” anti-gay therapy. If you spend your whole life hearing that being gay is wrong, that it’s a sin, that you’re going to Hell for it, that you’re a lesser person and that you deserve fewer rights than your heterosexual counterparts, then you may very well be able to repress your real feelings and pass as something you’re not. It’s the path of least resistance. It doesn’t mean you’re not gay, you just aren’t admitting to it anymore.
DJ
(11/05/09 1:14pm)Report
I do not fully understand this debate. Why do we care if homosexuals have civil unions or marriage? The point was made above that gay activists are pushing their agenda on others, but are you not doing the same thing by fighting it with such adversity? I guess I do not see how you claim that what they are doing is bad, but what you are doing is socially accepted? You are actually pushing you believes on others…
Hilarious how people do not want the government telling them what they can or can not do, unless the government is on their side…
Conservatives are worried that Obama is turning this country into a socialist country. However, that is only because he makes certain actions they do not agree with. If he came out and said “everyone has to be christian” I wonder how they would respond…
Hint: This is one of the reason that America was actually founded because people were trying to get away from “the King’s religion.”
Peace
(11/05/09 1:21pm)Report
MotorCity007:
“Dr. Charles Socarides, Former NARTH President
“Homosexuality is a psychological and psychiatric disorder, there is no question about it. It is a purple menace that is threatening the proper design of gender distinctions in society.”
Actually, homosexuality is NOT a psychological disorder. Can you explain to me how it is? Are you a psychologist? Do you have evidence that it is a disorder? Personally, I graduated with a Psychology degree and learned a several factors in homosexuality. It is mainly caused by biological factors, one being prenatal hormones. Sometimes, the stress of the mother during pregnancy can alter the level of hormones in the fetus causing an imbalance and this can result in gender differences. Get your facts straight.
Mel
(11/05/09 1:35pm)Report
Dear Ian,
Did you really forget to capitalize the name of a state in your article headline?
Zeke
(11/05/09 3:16pm)Report
Sigh. Another end-around of the Constitution to bypass an amendment voted on by the people of Michigan with more worthless legislation.
Maybe Ms. Byrnes should focus her energy on the gutting of financial aid that her feelow legislators just passed instead of working to undo what has already been voted on by the people.
chris
(11/05/09 7:19pm)Report
ANYONE WHO IS AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE IS A FAGGOT!
MotorCity007
(11/09/09 11:15am)Report
Chris, you don’t know the meaning of a faggot. Please go back into the closet.
The Truth
(11/10/09 10:17am)Report
I don’t want to legislate what goes on in your bedroom. I also though do not want to endorse behavior that leads to the AIDs virus and other STDs. The human body was not meant to partake in these types of activities. The AIDs virus through nature backs up religion in saying that homosexual behavior is wrong. Personally, I wouldn’t mind outlawing sodomy again. You have the right to screw yourself; however, I don’t want to give you benefits or privileges for doing so.
Bleed Green
(11/10/09 11:26am)Report
Motorcity007, I would venture that chris007 DOES “know the meaning of a faggot”…and probably the meanings of many faggots, unless we happen to be speaking some foreign language or other. Or did you mean that chris doesn’t know the meaning of the word “faggot”?
@ “The Truth”
Please stop spreading lies about homosexuals and AIDS. These don’t help anyone. Your distaste for homosexuals is your own, but you should not try to recruit others because of your misguided feelings.
Here are some AIDS statistics for you:
http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm