Banning same sex marriage: unconstitutionally forcing one’s religion on homosexuals against their will.

BettyJean Downing Kling

Equality, Opportunity and Justice for All – is a Human Right.

This message does not necessarily reflect TMU or its Coalition partners. This is a personal message from BettyJean on behalf of her friend Marcia Pappas and in support of all of our friends who are entitled to the equality of human rights, along with the responsibilities and privileges any individual is legally entitled to as citizen of this United States.

The establishment clause in the First Amendment has generally been interpreted to prohibit in part the establishment of a national religion by Congress and the free exercise thereof. We must not confuse God and Country but love and obey both as is our personal calling and as we have to account for our own doings. God gave us free will, he did not make us robots, then he gave his only begotten son and one day we will all kneel before him and be judged by him for our deeds not the deeds of others. Meanwhile we have a Constitution which dictates how we are to live in the US and how we are to treat one another. God will judge us for how we treat one another as well as for our own sins.

In my opinion, the prohibition of same sex marriage, clearly based solely on religious values is therefore against the Constitution. Establishing marriage laws for same sex couples based on religious dictates amounts to unconstitutionally forcing one’s religion on homosexuals against their will. NY State has joined five other states to become the sixth and largest state to offer all of its citizen’s equal opportunity.

The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, which was enacted before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004. Such licenses are granted by five states: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, plus Washington, D.C. and the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon. Legalization of same-sex marriage in New York is set to take effect on July 24, 2011.^[1] Same-sex marriages could be legally performed in California between June 16, 2008, and November 4, 2008, when voters passed Proposition 8 prohibiting same-sex marriages. The legalization of same-sex marriage was driven by court rulings and legislative action.^[2]

States that recognize same-sex marriage but do not grant same-sex marriage licenses include Rhode Island and Maryland.^[3][4][5]

As of June 2011^[update], 40 states prohibit same-sex marriage via statute or the state’s constitution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States

Press Release

 
 

Contact; Marcia A. Pappas, President (518-469-2661)

Marriage Equality Legislation Finds a Home in New York

Last night, the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) took a giant leap forward towards equality for all by voting in favor of same-sex marriage.

 National Organization for Women – New York State President Marcia Pappas explained: “NOW-NYS is proud to be part of this historic moment. This bipartisan passage of the
Marriage Equality Act will make New York the sixth and largest state where same-sex couples can legally marry. The decades-long lobbying efforts of NOW and a host of other civil rights organizations has eventually paid off.  Same-sex marriage is finally a fact in New York. We rejoice for the vote and we stand proud with our Governor, Cuomo, who has advocated tirelessly for this legislation .”

Pappas summed up: “Today NOW-NYS looks forward to working with our Governor and State legislators on measures for further equality. And this long-awaited decision will set the tone for more states to follow, giving all people the ability to join in rights, responsibilities and privileges of heterosexual couples.”