Massachusetts Pro-Family Organizations Warn Congress: “We Know Gay Marriage and Civil Unions Are Gay Marriage”

Flawed Federal Amendment Opens Door to Civil Unions

       Boston, MA, Nov. 18 - The leading grassroots organizations in the fight against homosexual marriage in Massachusetts called on top officials of Congress today to revise the Federal Marriage Amendment because it establishes so-called “civil unions,” a euphemism for homosexual marriage.

      “We in Massachusetts understand gay marriage and we understand that a ‘civil union’ is a ‘gay marriage’ by another name,” wrote Article 8 Alliance President Brian Camenker in a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee): 

       “Legislative attempts to address this problem here and in Washington have frustrated and confused the pro-marriage majority by advancing legislation which defends marriage and defeats it simultaneously.”

       The letter was also signed by Sarah McVay Pawlick, President of Massachusetts Citizens for Marriage – the original group which opposed homosexual marriage and civil unions in Massachusetts, and C. Joseph Doyle, Executive Director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts.

      “We are aware,” said the letter, “that Congressional leaders are considering changes in the flawed Federal Marriage Amendment, introduced in the last session by Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colorado). 

       “Don’t bother trying to fix it – anything which gives lip service to marriage while establishing civil unions is the cure that kills marriage. Thanks to corrupt judges and disingenuous legislators, we face a similar non-choice here in the Massachusetts legislature next year. 

      “Start over with language which is simple and clear – be uncompromising in your defense of the institution of marriage. Don’t settle for hollow and superficial victories for the term ‘marriage’ while accepting civil unions, which is homosexual ‘marriage’ in a shabby disguise.

       “Some well-intended people talk about civil unions being a middle ground, a bone to be thrown to the homosexuals to distract them from their attempts to savage traditional marriage. Don’t believe this! It is the rhetoric of the timid attempting to make the case for expediency.

       “Attempts to appease homosexual extremists by sacrificing substance to form, as the present Federal Marriage Amendment does, will be recognized now and by future generations as the point at which principled people became faint-hearted and retreated in the culture war.

       “From August 2004 to November 2004, 13 states voted to preserve traditional one man/one woman marriage. Nine of those 13 states included specific anti-civil union language in their new laws.

      “The people of America are looking to you to speak clearly and simply. We are winning the fight here as we move to summarily remove Chief Justice Margaret Marshall and the three judges who voted with her, while the other three judges passionately said she was violating the state Constitution in her ruling in the 4-3 decision.

      “From here in Massachusetts, the frontlines of the war over marriage, we urge you and the Congress to send a message to the homosexual extremists and the corrupt judges -- it stops here, it stops now!”

To arrange an interview with any of the principals mentioned in this statement,

 please contact James Lafferty, (202) 997-1968 or Amy Contrada, (781) 899-4905.