Saturday, March 22, 2014

HJR-3 doomed before any vote


“Many Michigan residents have religious convictions whose principles govern the conduct of their daily lives and inform their own viewpoints about marriage,” this was written by U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman, on March 21, 2014, in his decision as he struck down Michigan’s Gay-Marriage ban. Change one word in this statement – Michigan to Indiana and this is exactly what is going to happen here after the tax payers of this state waste millions of dollars to defend the state’s gay-marriage ban and its maybe new constitutional amendment. 

If the amendment were put to a vote I am fairly certain it would pass in this conservative state. But it would not survive any challenge in the courts. It fly’s directly into the equal protection clause under the law. It comes down too that the views of one group of people cannot be applied to all. It is a religious view and we are a nation of religious freedom, no religion can apply its conviction on everyone.

Indiana lawmakers knew full well the constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage will be struck down. They passed it for one reason too look good for the voters at home. Shame on them for not doing the right thing. Shame on them for not explaining to their voters what is the law of the land and how it protects them to have religious views and how those views cannot become law.

Federal judges have struck down marriage bans in Utah, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Virginia, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee and now Michigan. Indiana will soon be added to this list.

No comments: