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Hawaiian Gay Couples File Lawsuit Demanding Marriage in All but Name

By James Tillman

HONOLULU, Hawaii, July 29, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Six homosexual couples are filing a lawsuit in Hawaii today asking for the same benefits and responsibilities as marriage, but without the title of "marriage" or even of "civil union."

The suit had been threatened by the ACLU and by the homosexualist legal organization Lambda Legal after Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed HB 444 on July 6, which would have granted same-sex couples many of the same rights as marriage.

At the time she said that the bill offered "essentially marriage by another name."

Hawaii's Constitution was amended in 1998 so that the legislature had the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples.

However, homosexualist activists are pointing to the Hawaii Constitution's Bill of Rights, which says that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the State on account of sex."

Jennifer Pizer, senior counsel for Lambda Legal, told the Associated Press that this "at least has to mean same-sex couples should have the same rights and responsibilities [as opposite-sex couples], even if it's segmented off into a system that isn't as respected, understood and revered as marriage."

On the other hand, Garret Hashimoto, chairman of the Hawaii Christian Coalition, told the Associated Press that most Hawaii residents don't want the government to support "gay marriage" and that gay marriage was not analogous to civil rights.

"This is not about that," he said.  "This is about two males or two females practicing sex.  It's behavior."

See related stories on LifeSiteNews.com:

Hawaii Bids Farewell to Same-Sex Unions as Governor Vetoes Bill
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jul/10070706.html

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