News

Log Cabin challenges Frist [R-TN] on anti-gay constitutional amendment

Guerriero decries bipartisan political effort to hijack Constitution

June 30, 2003

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Log Cabin Republicans strongly disagree with Majority Leader Bill Frist's support of an amendment to the United Sates constitution that would deny recognition of gay and lesbian families and his criticism of last week's historic Supreme Court decision that de-criminalized private and consensual adult intimacy. Frist's comments were made yesterday during an interview on "Meet the Press."

"We need a defense against terrorism and a defense against tax increases not a defense against marriage that will unnecessarily divide the American family," said Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director Patrick Guerriero. "Following last week's Supreme Court decision affirming our fundamental privacy rights and calling for basic respect for gay and lesbian Americans, we expected a backlash from the radical right. We expect better from thoughtful elected representatives. They need to get their priorities straight", continued Guerriero.

"Basic recognition and respect for committed gay relationships would come in the form of a civil contract providing tax fairness and family stability, and in no way would impose on religious traditions, religious freedom or religious ceremonies. The real threat to traditional marriage is a 50% divorce rate, not loving, law-abiding, tax-paying gays and lesbians who simply want basic fairness for their families" Guerriero added.

Earlier this month the Federal Marriage Amendment was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by a bi-partisan group of co-sponsors. The lead sponsors were Democrats Collin Peterson (MN), Mike McIntyre (NC) and Ralph Hall (TX). Republicans lead sponsors are Marilyn Musgrove (Co), Jo Ann Davis (VA) and David Vitter (LA). The amendment would ban gay marriage and permanently alter the Constitution with language marginalizing gays and lesbians. "We need to protect the United States Constitution from this purely political and unfortunately bi-partisan hijacking", concluded Guerriero.

"We have a tremendous amount of work to do with both Republicans and Democrats on the issue of respecting and recognizing our families. Former President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act with the overwhelming support of Democrats and Republicans, and even liberal icons like Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) oppose gay marriage", said Log Cabin Republicans Director of Public Affairs Mark Mead