Wednesday February 9, 2005
Constitutional Amendment to Ban Same-Sex “Marriage” Approved in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Alabama, February 9, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Both the Alabama Senate and House overwhelmingly approved separate constitutional amendments banning same-sex “marriage” Tuesday.
The Senate approved its amendment by a 35-0 margin; the house by an 85-7 majority. One of the two measures must be jointly approved by the other legislative body before going to a ballot for voter approval.
Although Alabama already created a law banning same-sex “marriage” in 1998, lawmakers were keen to add the constitutional amendment to foil any attempt by judicial activists to overturn the law on constitutional grounds.
Democratic Sen. Roger Bedford said, “It will be a safeguard for future generations.”
Republican Sen. Hank Erwin, after quoting from the Bible, said, “We have always been a traditional family state that says we support one man and one woman in a marriage.”
Meanwhile, an Indiana Senate committee also approved the creation of a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex “marriage.” The vote was split along party lines, with Republicans superseding Democrats 7-4.
The amendment, after passage in the Senate, would then require passage in the House, followed by voter approval. The earliest this could happen is 2008, according to an Indianapolis Star report.
Indiana already defines marriage as between a man and woman, but lawmakers there agree with Alabamans, that protection from judicial activism is a necessity.
Republican Sen. Brandt Hershman, sponsor of the amendment, pointed to New York State as a good reason for needing the constitutional protection. A judge there struck down the law banning same-sex “marriage” Friday.
”With malice intended toward none, our effort is to protect the way it has always been,” he said.
Indianapolis Body of Christ Community Church pastor Rev. Andrew Hunt, supportive of the amendment, said there is no justification for comparing the same-sex “marriage” movement with the civil rights movement, as many are doing.
”You can't contrast my God-given pigmentation with human-learned perversion,” he said.
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