Marriage amendments getting ready to go on ballot in four states

Constitutional amendments protecting traditional marriage as the union of one man, and one woman may soon be poised to go on the ballot in at least four states in this year's election, reports Peter J. Smith, LifeSiteNews.com.

Focus on the Family's CitizenLink reports that voters in Florida, California, Indiana, and Arizona may have the chance to vote on marriage amendments for their state constitutions. For Arizona, it will mean round two in the battle for marriage, as pro-marriage advocates lost in that state in 2006, gaining only 49% of the vote. That measure, Proposition 107 went beyond banning same-sex "marriage" to ban also legal recognition of pseudo-marriage arrangements, such as civil unions for unwed heterosexual couples or homosexual couples. Polls taken after the amendment's defeat credited the extra mile to protect marriage for its demise.

However according to Mona Passignano, state issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, the language of the first amendment was too complicated.

"This session, you're going to see much simpler language for Arizona, and I think it'll definitely help," Passignano said. "The polling numbers coming out of Arizona are very good on the simpler language."

So far twenty-seven US states have amended their constitutions to protect traditional marriage. Marriage advocates in Iowa and Pennsylvania are also working toward putting marriage amendment initiatives on the ballot for a future vote.

Tom Shaheen, vice president of policy for the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said his state needs an amendment because neighboring states are caving in to the homosexual agenda.

"We're working with many grassroots organizations and churches and individuals in Pennsylvania to get our legislators to make it a priority issue," Shaheen said.

Nathan Dunn, vice president of the Florida Family Policy Council, also told CitizenLink that he is gathering petitions for a marriage amendment to preempt a court-imposed mandate for homosexual "marriage."

"Despite the fact that we have a law on the books saying marriage is between a man and a woman, that law could be vulnerable to any activist judge coming along with his own agenda wanting to change that very vital institution."

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[01/09/2008]

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