Gay Marriage
John McCain:
Has said that he personally believes "marriage is between a man and a woman," but does notsupport a constitutional amendment aimed at prohibiting states from legalizing it. He says such ameasure would usurp states' prerogatives. Voted in favor of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Actsigned by President Clinton. That law banned the federal government from recognizing gaymarriages.
Barack Obama:
Has also said that he personally believes "marriage is between a man and a woman"-the samelanguage employed by President Bush, as well-while also opposing any constitutionalamendment designed to prohibit states from banning gay marriage. Differs from McCain in thathe advocates repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act that banned the federal government fromrecognizing gay marriages.Gay marriage seekers want legal protectionPublished: Oct. 15, 2008 at 11:06 PMOrder reprints|Print Story|Email to a Friend|Post a Comment
BOSTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A study of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts found most gaycouples wanted legal protections or to make a public statement, researchers say.The study, published in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, also found the lack of familyapproval and difficulties planning and paying for the wedding were the most noted obstacles tomarriageThe state legalized same-sex marriage 13 months ago.Pamela J. Lannutti of Boston College used a sample of 263 partners in same-sex couples had anaverage relationship duration of 7.5 years. Seventy-two percent had gotten legally married in the13 months after same-sex marriage was authorized in Massachusetts, and 28 percent planned tomarry within 16 months.Twenty-four percent say their attraction to marriage was for legal protections, 20 percent wantedto make a public statement of commitment, 15 percent say they wanted to marry because of feelings for their partner, 14 percent say it was a means of acknowledgment from family, 13 percent wanted legal protection in having children, 8 percent wanted it as a means of acknowledgment from friends, 4 percent married for political reasons and 2 percent citedreligious reasons.About 59 percent of the participants were women, 39 percent were men and 2 percent did notreport their gender.
ISSUE: Gay MarriageJohn McCain:
Has said that he personally believes "marriage is between a man and a woman," but does notsupport a constitutional amendment aimed at prohibiting states from legalizing it. He says such ameasure would usurp states’ prerogatives. Voted in favor of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Actsigned by President Clinton. That law banned the federal government from recognizing gaymarriages.
Barack Obama:
Has also said that he personally believes "marriage is between a man and a woman"—the samelanguage employed by President Bush, as well—while also opposing any constitutionalamendment designed to prohibit states from banning gay marriage. Differs from McCain in thathe advocates repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act that banned the federal government fromrecognizing gay marriages.
A sharply divided ConnecticutSupreme Court struck down the state’s civil union law on Friday
and ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Connecticut thus joinsMassachusetts and California as the only states to have legalized gay marriages.
Related
Times Topics: Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions, and Domestic PartnershipsText of the Ruling (pdf)Enlarge This ImageJoanne Mock, right, and Elizabeth Kerrigan, with their son Carlos, 6, were among eight coupleswho sued to get marriage licenses.
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Read All Comments (181) »The ruling, which cannot be appealed and is to take effect on Oct. 28, held that a state lawlimiting marriage to heterosexual couples, and a civil union law intended to provide all the rightsand privileges of marriage to same-sex couples, violated the constitutional guarantees of equal protection under the law.Striking at the heart of discriminatory traditions in America, the court — in language that oftenrose above the legal landscape into realms of social justice for a new century — recalled thatlaws in the not-so-distant past barred interracial marriages, excluded women from occupationsand official duties, and relegated blacks to separate but supposedly equal public facilities.“Like these once prevalent views, our conventional understanding of marriage must yield to amore contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection,” JusticeRichard N. Palmer wrote for the majority in a 4-to-3 decision that explored the nature of homosexual identity, the history of societal views toward homosexuality and the limits of gay political power compared with that of blacks and women.“Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry theotherwise qualified same-sex partner of their choice,” Justice Palmer declared. “To decideotherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons andanother to all others.”The ruling was groundbreaking in various respects. In addition to establishing Connecticut as thethird state to sanctionsame-sex marriage,it was the first state high court ruling to hold that civil
union statutes specifically violated the equal protection clause of a state constitution. TheMassachusetts high court held in 2004 that same-sex marriages were legal, while California’scourt decision in May related to domestic partnerships and not the more broadly defined civilunions.The Connecticut decision, which elicited strong dissenting opinions from three justices, alsoopened the door to marriage a bit wider for gay couples in New York, where state laws do not provide for same-sex marriages or civil unions, although Gov.David A. Patersonrecently issued
an executive order requiring government agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed inother states.The opinion in Connecticut was hailed by jubilant gay couples and their advocates as afulfillment of years of hopes and dreams. Hugs, kisses and cheers greeted eight same-sex couplesas they entered the ballroom at the Hartford Hilton, where four years ago they had announcedthey would file a lawsuit seeking marriage licenses.One of those couples, Joanne Mock, 53, and her partner, Elizabeth Kerrigan, 52, stood with their twin 6-year-old sons, choking back tears of joy and gratitude. Another plaintiff, Garret Stack, 59,introduced his partner, John Anderson, 63, and said: “For 28 years we have been engaged. Wecan now register at Home Depot and prepare for marriage.”Religious and conservative groups called the ruling an outrage but not unexpected, and spoke of steps to enact a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Peter Wolfgang, executive director of theFamily Institute of Connecticut, blamed “robed masters” and “philosopher kings” on the court.“This is about our right to govern ourselves,” he said. “It is bigger than gay marriage.”But the state, a principal defendant in the lawsuit, appeared to be resigned to the outcome.Gov.M. Jodi Rellsaid that she disagreed with the decision, but would uphold it. “The SupremeCourt has spoken,” she said. “I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision, either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution, will not meet with success.”Attorney GeneralRichard Blumenthalsaid his office was reviewing the decision to determinewhether laws and procedures will have to be revised — local officials will issue marriagelicenses to gay couples without question, for example — but he offered no challenge and said itwould soon be implemented.
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Foreign marriages recognized
Civil unions andregistered partnerships
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