Illinois Affiliate of Focus on the Family Backs "Strong" Marriage Amendment in that State

IFI Announces Support for Illinois Constitutional Amendment to "Protect
Marriage from Being Destroyed by Activist Judges"

LaBarbera endorses Mitchell version that would ban recognition of 'civil
unions'
GLEN ELLYN, Ill. -Illinois Family Institute Executive Director Peter
LaBarbera today announced the organization's support for a bill
introduced in the Illinois legislature that would amend the state
constitution to protect the definition of marriage as between a man and
a woman, and ban state recognition of non-marital relationships.

A bill introduced by Rep. Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) would amend the
state constitution "to provide that a marriage can only be between one
man and one woman." It proposes: "any relationship between persons of
the same sex in a civil union, domestic partnership or other similar
same sex relationship shall not be valid or recognized in Illinois."

Another bill introduced by Rep. William Grunloh (D-Effingham) would also
ban homosexual "marriage" but does not include the latter "civil
unions"/"domestic partnership" provision.

"When liberal judges in Massachusetts-in an act of supreme
arrogance-decided to change the age-old definition of marriage and
declare a new 'right' for homosexuals to marry, the gauntlet was thrown
down," LaBarbera said. "Illinoisans who want to preserve marriage have
no alternative but to take this issue permanently out of the hands of
activist judges and put it in the hands of the people.

"I am convinced that everyday Illinois citizens-far more than elites-can
be trusted to do the right thing and protect marriage if given the
chance to vote," LaBarbera said.

LaBarbera cited lessons from California's Proposition 22 to explain why
he strongly favors a version of the proposed constitutional amendment
that would cover "civil unions." In 2000, a diverse coalition of
California voters passed a ballot proposal-Prop 22, the Protection of
Marriage Initiative-defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
Just three years later, liberal lawmakers passed a 'Domestic Partners'
bill, signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis, that will confer hundreds of
marriage rights and responsibilities on homosexual couples. The new law
is being challenged in court by Prop 22 proponents who say it violates
the expressed will of the voting public.

"We must not go through the toil and sacrifice of getting a
marriage-protection amendment passed in Illinois only to see politicians
or judges turn around and grant all the privileges of marriage to
unmarried couples-by simply calling it another name like 'civil
unions,'" LaBarbera said.

IFI is an affiliate of Focus on the Family.