posted on October 5, 2004 07:42:51 PM new
Voters approved, but judge says it's unconstitutional
BATON ROUGE, La. - A state judge Tuesday threw out a constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage in Louisiana, less than three weeks after voters overwhelmingly approved it.
District Judge William Morvant said the amendment was flawed as drawn up by the Legislature because it had more than one purpose: banning not only same-sex marriage, but also civil unions.
Michael Johnson, an attorney for supporters of the amendment, said he would appeal the ruling.
A gay rights group called Forum for Equality had challenged the amendment on several grounds, arguing among other things that combining the question of same-sex marriage and the issue of civil unions in one ballot question violated state law.
“Somebody got greedy and wanted to stick something else in. They got caught with their hand in the cookie jar,” said John Rawls, an attorney for the group.
The courts had rejected a similar argument before the Sept. 18 election, saying it was premature.
Amendment passed strongly
About 78 percent of those voting favored the amendment. The vote was part of a national backlash against same-sex marriage, which followed last year’s Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex couples to wed.
Proposals to restrict marriage to a man and a woman are on the ballot in November in 11 states: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. Voters in Missouri, like those in Louisiana, overwhelmingly approved such an amendment earlier this year.
The Louisiana Legislature pushed through the proposed ban this spring. Louisiana already had a law against same-sex marriage, but conservatives warned that unless it was put in the state constitution, a Louisiana court could one day follow the Massachusetts example.
Christian conservatives launched a vigorous grass-roots campaign to secure passage.
I bet all you conservatives are going to blame the activist judges again.
DICK CHENEY SUPPORTS MY RELATIONSHIP: People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to
Let's have a BBQ, Texas style, ROAST BUSH
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YOU CAN'T HAVE BULLSH** WITH OUT BUSH.
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You beat to this article. I bet it's a real melt down for twinkle (twelve) toes. He was just so prideful and sure that this was going to happen. But is seems that the Republican judge felt it needed to be TOSSED out. He threw it out like yesterday's newspaper.
Twinkle toes, are you doing ok now? I hope you feeling ok. I know this must be an emotional setback for you. Get well soon!
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on October 5, 2004 08:24:27 PM new
I find it absolutely amazing that whenever Logansdad posts something about homosexuals that Yeager is right there behind him backing him up (no pun intended) and vice-a-versa. Well, maybe I did intend it to be a pun. Come on now are you 2 in RL actually involved with each other, as in boyfriend and boyfriend??
posted on October 5, 2004 09:23:00 PM new
Overturned by a State district judge. You can bet the ruling will be appealed & found to be constitutional by a higher Court in Louisiana.
Hey, hey Ho, ho Kerry - sign the 1-8-0
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing
to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
--John Stuart Mill
posted on October 6, 2004 05:48:20 PM new
You can bet the ruling will be appealed & found to be constitutional by a higher Court in Louisiana.
tick tick tick! Only if there is enough time before November 2nd. They might have a special election after that, but the turn out will be less than the national election.
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on October 6, 2004 05:48:58 PM new
I tend to answer stupid questions with stupid remarks especially when they attack my sexuality rather than the information that is posted.
There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
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Let's have a BBQ, Texas style, ROAST BUSH
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YOU CAN'T HAVE BULLSH** WITH OUT BUSH.
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posted on October 6, 2004 06:33:10 PM new
If Louisana did try to bite off more than they should of, that is their elected officials fault and they have failed their constituents... however seeing as homosexual marriage is still illegal there, it really does nothing to change that fact...
Prevent Bigotry through Education.