February 4, 2004 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2004
CONTACT: Bill Murray, (202) 393-2100
FOR RADIO: Yvonne Lingo
4-3 Ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court sets up a showdown for February 11th in the Mass. State Legislature
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 today that any attempt by the State Legislature there to bypass the court's recent same-sex "marriage" decision by granting civil union partnerships will not be acceptable. The divided court has once again ruled that the Massachusetts constitution requires homosexual couples be given full marriage rights. In response to today's ruling, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins released the following statement:
"Today's decision by the SJC leaves no doubt what is at stake in Massachusetts. Either the institution of marriage will be protected, or it will be redefined out of existence.
"On February 11th the Massachusetts legislature will vote on the Marriage Affirmation and Protection Amendment, which would give the people of Massachusetts -- rather than four activist judges -- the power to decide whether marriage will be protected or deconstructed. Today, the SJC has not left any wiggle room for state legislators who were hoping to bypass the controversial debate by simply granting homosexual couples civil union partnerships. Instead each and every one of them will have to decide whether the people will be ruled by an unaccountable judiciary, or whether they will be given the power to overrule the SJC's decision.
"We are not just fighting to preserve marriage in Massachusetts. This case will determine the future of marriage throughout America. If same-sex couples 'marry' in Massachusetts and move to other states, the Defense of Marriage Act will be left vulnerable to the same federal courts that have banned the Pledge of Allegiance and sanctioned partial-birth abortion.
"This decision leaves no doubt that we must, immediately, pass a federal marriage amendment."
Press Release provided by Family Research Council
