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Florida Marriage Protection Amendment Controversy
09/05/08 - 02:37 PM
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Erin Hawley - bio

click for larger image Bay County, Fla:

Traditionally, marriage is accepted as being between a man and a woman, but with states like California and Massachusetts recently ruling to allow same-sex marriage, some Florida residents are taking steps to ensure that this state doesn’t follow.

The proposed law states:
“Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”

There are currently 4 statutes in Florida State Law that outlaw same-sex marriage. Currently, if a person or court decided to go against the law the Supreme Court could rule that the constitutional rights have been infringed upon. But if the ban of same-sex marriage is added as an Amendment, it will be much harder for a judge to rule that it is unconstitutional. 

And if you think the proposed law wouldn’t affect you, don’t be so sure. Any unmarried Florida resident could be affected by changes to Health Care and Social Security.

For more information on the law, go to http://www.yes2marriage.org/, or for information opposing passage of the law, visit http://www.sayno2.com/.

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User Comments

Yeah… what JDixon said. 

The trick is to find someone you can share the rest of your life with and be happy as equals, as partners, as friends.  It’s as simple as that. Nobody should have the power to tell anyone otherwise.  I’ve found that the people who fear same-sex marriage and want it outlawed all have some significant baggage to deal with in addition to their own homophobia.  It’s just too bad that there are so many of them out there. By the looks of the poll - it’s about 2 to 1 against.  That sounds about right for our part of the Panhandle.

Posted by  on  09/06  at  04:10 PM

Same-sex marriage is not about religion. The fact is that marriage is a function of the state.  When a pastor or rabbi concludes a ceremony, it is with the phrase, “By the power vested in me by the State of Florida, I now pronounce you…” This makes clear that religious ceremonies are unnecessary to become married.  Couples may walk into a town hall and get married, sans minister.  I am by no means suggesting that conservative religious institutions be made to conduct marriage ceremonies which run contrary to their teachings.  Instead, those religious institutions which traditionally allow same-sex marriage ought to be free to practice their religion. 

The conversation ought not focus on religion, but on civil rights, namely the right to choose a partner of legal age and capable of mutual consent to enter into a state-recognized partnership that grants the married couple a wide range of responsibilities toward one another and State support to meet those commitments.

Posted by  on  09/06  at  07:12 AM
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