With debates stirring and tensions escalating over the issue of legally santioned homosexual unions in the U.S – a majority Christian nation, conservatives and faithful brace themselves for the possibility of the facilitated demise of the traditional marriage system as they know it.
Thirty-eight states approved a bill to protect traditional marriage, filling the three forths majority needed to take the bill to the federal level. The speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, however, said that though the constitutional marriage amendment might pass the House, it is his "best guess" is that it would be blocked at the Senate.
"My guess is that such an amendment might pass the House this year, but not the Senate," said Hastert.
Hastert, an Illinois Republican, said the problem arising in San Francisco, where marriage licenses have been issued without warrant, can only be resolved at the federal level. In the city, two judges issued a “cease and desist" order, but refused to immediately halt the "ceremonies" that continue in city hall.
"I don’t know of any way it will be solved unless it is with a constitutional amendment which is very, very difficult to enact," Hastert said.
"The Defense of Marriage Act was signed by Bill Clinton many years ago and, at that time, it defined this issue," Hasit with a 48-43 majority, in January, most people opposed it with a 53 to 35 percent majority.
"There has clearly been a backlash against the court ruling," Gerry Chervinsky, president of KRC Communications Research of Netert continued. "Now, however, states like California and Massachusetts have sanctioned gay marriages, which challenge the act, causing it to unravel and making it a federal issue."
Currently, several debates on the issue of homosexual "marriage" have been placed out in the open.
While in November, when the Boston courts legalized same-sex unions, the polls showed the public supported wton, which conducted the poll, told The Globe.
Massachusetts legislators are set to meet again March 11 to debate a state constitutional amendment protecting the traditional definition of marriage.
Schwarzenegger told California Attorney General Bill Lockyer to take legal action to stop San Francisco from issuing the licenses to same-sex couples. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Lockyer as saying he resented Schwarzenegger’s order.
However, Lockyer's office has decided to expedite its reply to San Francisco's lawsuit against the state, the Chronicle reported. The city is seeking to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex "marriage."
In California, the Superior Court Judge Ronald Quidachay refused to issue an emergency stay against San Francisco for issuing statements of marriage to homosexuals Feb. 20 but did tell the city to "cease and desist" or return to court and defend its action.
The Liberty Counsel, who argued the case before Quidachay on behalf of the Campaign for California Families, said it remains hopeful.
"A line is being drawn in the sand," Liberty Counsel President Mathew Staver said in a statement. "Marriage between one man and one woman will be preserved. The lawlessness of [San Francisco] Mayor [Gavin] Newsom will hurt his cause and advance the pro-family movement."
In 2000, California voters passed by a margin of 61-39 percent a proposition stating that marriage is between one man and one woman. The CCF made the case on behalf of these 61 percent of Californians, and asked to immediately bring an halt to the illegal sanction of homosexual "marriages."
The governor of Califrnia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, upon the court’s refusal to block the city and its rebellious mayor, issued a direct ordiance to the state attorney to take action.
"That is the law, so we cannot have all of the sudden now mayors ... hand out licenses for various different things," Schwarzenegger commented. "In San Francisco it’s the licenses for marriage of same-sex. Maybe the next thing is another city that hands our licenses for assault weapons, [and] someone else hands out licenses for selling drugs. We cannot do that. We have to stay within the law."
Meanwhile, grassroots groups in California and the nation have been gathering support against the silence of the leaders.
The CCF began an email system to the California legislature and Governor to "protect the rights of voters and resist this bad bill which would completely destroy the uniqueness of marriage in California."
"The state should strengthen and protect marriage between a man and a woman, not weaken or eliminate the distinction of this sacred institution," the statement said.
The nationwide pettition to the Senate by the American Family Council have received 1,053,506 votes to date.
