Bay Windows - January 22, 2004
Laura Kiritsy, lkiritsy@baywindows.com.

"A strong America must also value the institution of marriage," Bush said in his speech. "I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under federal law as a union of a man and a woman, and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states.

"Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives," he continued. "On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage."

"The outcome of this debate is important - and so is the way we conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight," he added.

The remarks continue Bush's apparent effort to appease both moderate voters and his conservative base on the issue of gay unions. Since last summer the president has hinted that he is leaning toward supporting a bill to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage, while stopping short of an explicit endorsement. He has stated that White House lawyers are researching the best way to codify marriage as a heterosexual union. He denounced the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's ruling in favor of gay marriage shortly after the court handed down its decision on Nov. 18. Most recently, in a Dec. 16 interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News, the president said he would support a constitutional amendment "if necessary." But he also told Sawyer that "whatever legal arrangements people want to make, they're allowed to make so long as it's embraced by the state."

The gay political organization National Stonewall Democrats (NSD) issued a sharp criticism of Bush's remarks. "President Bush has proved that he doesn't care about gay families. He just doesn't," said Dave Noble, NSD Executive Director, in a Jan. 20 statement. "He is completely ignorant to the reality that gay families have existed throughout American history. The Massachusetts ruling doesn't change that fact. It only recognizes that gay families are being discriminated against and should be afforded all of the rights and responsibilities of marriage."

In a Jan. 21 statement, the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), a gay political organization that has lobbied the White House against endorsing a federal marriage amendment, warned Bush "that engaging in a culture war is a recipe for defeat."

"Log Cabin Republicans have stood with this president in the war on terror. Log Cabin supports the president on cutting taxes for American families and expanding efforts to combat HIV/AIDS at home and abroad," said LCR Executive Director Patrick Guerriero. "Log Cabin will not stand by while anyone attempts to write discrimination into the Constitution. It is unnecessary and it cheapens our sacred Constitution."

Gary Bauer, president of the conservative organization American Values, praised the president's stance against gay marriage. "I don't think he wants history to record that on his watch the fundamental definition of marriage was changed," Bauer told The New York Times. "I think it'll send a strong signal not only to his base, which of course feels strongly, but I think swing voters will, from the evidence, come closer to the Republican position. I think this is a plus all the way around."

But fellow religious conservative Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, was displeased that Bush did not come out unequivocally in favor of passing an amendment before the 180-day stay the Mass. SJC imposed on its ruling expires in May, at which point gay marriages will be legal in the Bay State.

The president, said Perkins in a press release, "promised to help the families of America - after the bomb goes off and the damage is done. Now is the time, before the court of Massachusetts imposes same-sex marriage on America, to protect the sacred and irreplaceable institution of marriage.

"The president should immediately call upon Congress to pass an amendment this year to the Constitution codifying into law what history and nature has taught us - marriage is between a man and a woman," said Perkins.

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BY040103

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