Tag: gay marriage

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Impact of DOMA decision – Extending federal benefits to service members and families

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says Pentagon to extend all federal benefits to same-sex married couples asap

In response to the repeal of DOMA today, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says the Pentagon will extend health care, housing, and additional federal benefits to the gay spouses of service members as soon as possible, the AP reports:

Defense officials estimate there are 18,000 same-sex couples in the active duty, National Guard and Reserves. It’s unclear how many of those are married.

The court ruling also could allow same-sex spouses to be buried at Arlington Cemetery. The Pentagon has said that by Oct. 1, it would extend a variety of benefits to same-sex partners, including access to on-base commissaries and some health and welfare programs.

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Anti-gay organizations respond to SCOTUS marriage equality rulings

Hate group leader Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council

“By striking down the federal definition of marriage in DOMA, the Court is asserting that Congress does not have the power to define the meaning of words in statutes Congress itself has enacted. This is absurd. The Defense of Marriage Act imposes no uniform definition of marriage upon the individual states. However, the states should not be able to impose varying definitions of marriage upon the federal government. The ruling that the federal government must recognize same-sex ‘marriages’ in states that recognize them raises as many questions as it answers. For example, what is the status of such couples under federal law if they move to another state that does not recognize their ‘marriage?’ This decision throws open the doors for whole new rounds of litigation.

“We are disturbed that the court refused to acknowledge that the proponents of Proposition 8 have standing to defend Proposition 8. This distorts the balance of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. The Court’s decision allows the executive branch to effectively veto any duly enacted law, simply by refusing to defend it against a constitutional challenge. Ironically, by refusing to defend the law, California’s executive branch has also denied the nation any definitive ruling on the constitutionality of defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. – Hate group leader Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council

Brian Brown of the ironically-named National Organization for Marriage

“In a miscarriage of justice the US Supreme Court has refused to consider the decision of a single federal court judge to overturn the perfectly legal action of over 7 million California voters who passed Proposition 8 defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The Supreme Court’s holding that proponents of an initiative had no legal right to appeal ignores California law and rewards corrupt politicians for abandoning their duty to defend traditional marriage laws.

“It’s imperative that Congress continue to preserve the right of states to protect true marriage and refuse to recognize faux marriages performed in other states or countries. There is a stench coming from this case that has now stained the Supreme Court. They’ve allowed corrupt politicians and judges to betray the voters, rewarding them for their betrayal. It’s an illegitimate decision. We and millions of other Americans will refuse to accept this rogue decision rewarding corruption.

“We also urge Congress to reject the inevitable attempts to dismantle remaining elements of DOMA, including the right of states to refuse to recognize so-called gay marriages performed elsewhere. The vast majority of American voters have expressed with their votes their desire to maintain marriage as the union of one man and one woman. That decision should be respected and left undisturbed.” – Hate group leader Brian Brown of the National Organization for (some) Marriage

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NOM is optimistic – “We’re going to win”

Hate group leader Brian Brown is already claiming victory in the SCOTUS marriage equality decisions due out tomorrow morning, according to the National Review:

“We’re thinking we’re going to win,” he told me. “And I think that even the other side realizes that they’re not going to get the decision they want.” He added that he thinks pro-same-sex marriage advocates got the timing all wrong, and that tomorrow will bring a huge victory for supporters of traditional marriage.

“This is like the life movement winning Roe,” he said. “This is the Roe decision for marriage. This is not trying to nibble at the edges; this is trying to claim that there is a Constitutional right to redefine marriage. If they lose that, then the highest court in the land will be saying one of their key arguments is wrong, and that will have a big, big, big impact.”

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Marriage Equality “Decision Day” rallies all over the USA

At United For Marriage, they have compiled an interactive map showing locations for “Decision Day” rallies regarding the SCOTUS marriage equality decisions to be released tomorrow morning.

In Las Vegas, folks will be meeting at the new Gay & Lesbian Community Center at 5pm.

Click here for Las Vegas details.

Click here to check for a rally near you.

(via JMG)

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Michigan House Democrats introduce marriage equality bills

In anticipation of the US  Supreme Court’s possible rulings on DOMA and Prop 8, Michigan House Democrats have introduced four bills to address marriage equality in in their state.

From the Detroit Free Press:

One bill is a joint resolution that would amend Michigan’s constitution to allow gay marriage after it was banned in 2004 as a result of a voter initiative.

A second bill would allow gay marriages formalized in other states to be recognized in Michigan.

A third bill amends Michigan’s marriage laws authorizing who may marry and a fourth measure is a resolution calling on Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Similar bills were earlier introduced by Democrats in the Senate. The Legislature is currently on its summer recess.

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Anti-gay Christian groups plan to ignore SCOTUS ruling on marriage equality if they don’t like it

A coalition of Christianist and anti-gay groups has come together to create and sign The Marriage Solidarity Statement, which basically says whatever the US Supreme Court decides regarding marriage equality they plan to ignore it.

Kind of like ostriches with their heads in the sand. “This isn’t happening, this isn’t happening, this isn’t happening.”

Here’s just a bit of what these anti-gay folks have to say:

“If the Supreme Court were to issue a decision that redefined marriage or provided a precedent on which to build an argument to redefine marriage, the Supreme Court will thereby undermine its legitimacy. The Court will significantly decrease its credibility and impair the role it has assumed for itself as a moral authority. It will be acting beyond its proper constitutional role and contrary to the Natural Moral Law which transcends religions, culture, and time.”

The Marriage Solidarity Statement ends with these words: “As Christians united together in defense of marriage, we pray that this will not happen. But, make no mistake about our resolve. While there are many things we can endure, redefining marriage is so fundamental to the natural order and the true common good that this is the line we must draw and one we cannot and will not cross.”

It should be noted, that the provisions of the U.S. Constitution grant the high court judicial power in “all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution,” and the 14th Amendment guarantees “equal protection of the laws” for all persons.

The list of signees includes the usual suspects, like designated hate group leaders Family Research Council president Tony Perkins and Traditional Values Coalition chairman Rev. Louis Sheldon, Tea Party activist Ben Carson, Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern (R), former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer, Focus on the Family founder Rev. James Dobson, birther Joseph Farah, and disgraced Abramoff scandal figure Ralph Reed.

The irony of the coalition’s name is that what THEY call “Freedom” would restrict the liberty of gay and lesbian Americans.

Of course, it goes without saying you need a civil marriage license to basically have a marriage recognized. If DOMA and Prop 8 fall in the next week, marriage will be expanded to include gay and lesbian couples on more than one level.

So there.

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Moving video shows how anti-gay DOMA pulls families apart – Tim and Jamie

Tim and Jamie been together since August 2006.

But in June 2009 they had their experience with how their international relationship would be tested: Jamie, a native of Scotland, was detained at SeaTac Airport due to visa problems and was denied the right to call Tim. He was sent back to Scotland the next day after Tim waited for hours in the airport without a chance to see him.

They married in June 2012.

Currently, Jamie and Tim’s marriage in Canada is not recognized legally in the United States because of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. Because they cannot be together in the USA, they are considering moving to South America so they can live together as legal spouses.

This is why the Supreme Court decision on DOMA is so vitally important for families like Tim and Jamie.

Holding strong to the hope that DOMA is struck down in the next week.