Gay Marriage Stays Legal In Massachusetts

BOSTON-Lawmakers voted Thursday to keep a constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage off the 2008 ballot during a joint session of the Massachusetts House and Senate.The amendment that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman needed the support of 50 of the state's 200 lawmakers in two consecutive sessions. It passed with 62 votes on the final day of the last legislative session earlier this year, but it only received 45 votes on Thursday."We're proud of our state today, and we applaud the Legislature for showing that Massachusetts is strongly behind fairness," said Lee Swislow, executive director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. "Equality for gay and lesbian citizens has enriched our state, made our communities stronger, and our families happier. The vote today was the triumph of time, experience and understanding over fear and prejudice"Earlier in the day, activists on both sides of the issue gathered at the Statehouse to make their voices heard. Preaching a message of marriage equality, members of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry marched from St. Paul's Cathedral to the steps of the statehouse."God loves all of God's children-gays, straight, transgender and bisexual-and everyone has equal rights," the Rev. Anne Rousseau said. Opponents of gay marriage demanded that the issue be decided by the voters of Massachusetts."If the majority of people in Massachusetts think that marriage should remain between a man and a woman, they ought to say that," said Wally Atwood, who supports a gay marriage ban.
"To take the position that a small group of unelected judges can determine who we are as a people, I think it's not right," said Elizabeth Dionne, who supports a gay marriage ban."This is a clear issue of civil rights and social justice, and we are here in support of it," said Alex Coleman, who supports gay marriage. The issues has made national headlines with Democratic lawmakers. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lobbied to keep the question off the ballot."I think it's a choice people of Massachusetts need to make. Not Nancy Pelosi. She is not from here. She has nothing to do with it," Dionne said.Others, such as Joan Fahey, who married her long-time partner in 2004, said that the issue transcends politics."It will really impact (us) on a day-to-day basis to the extent that gays and lesbians feel safe in this state," she said.
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PS:How sad that I have to report this kind of news of what is happening in our beloved country...You know anybody can call themselves"reverend" or "christian" or whatever they want to call themselves.THEY ARE DECEIVED....!My Bible says the same things that theirs concerning sin and sinful life styles...!And Nancy Pelosi!!!Shame on you!!!Our nation is ripe for judgement,that's a fact!!!There is gay "agenda" and that's a fact too.We have legalized sin once more in our land!!!!!
As in the days of Noah...