Conservative group writing California Marriage Amendment
Susan Jones, CNSNews.com
May 11, 2005

(CNSNews.com) - Defenders of traditional marriage in California say they will press for a state constitutional amendment, after two legislative committees killed marriage-protection measures on Tuesday.

"The only way to save marriage for a man and a woman is to give it rock-solid protection in the state constitution," said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families (CCF).

Plans call for the proposed amendment to be placed on the 2006 ballot, following a petition drive.

On Tuesday, California's Assembly Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee (both controlled by Democrats) rejected proposed marriage amendments. Both measures were defeated on partisan votes, with Republicans voting for marriage protection, Democrats voting against.

"This disturbing display of arrogance against marriage and the voters means average Californians must take matters into their own hands and pass a constitutional amendment to protect marriage once and for all," Thomasson said in a press release.

Thomasson's Campaign for Children and Families, a statewide pro-family organization, testified in support of the proposed amendments at both committee hearings.

Five years ago, 61.4 percent of California voters approved Proposition 22, the Protection of Marriage Initiative, which reads, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

But CCF says the people's vote is being ignored, and it points to a 2003 domestic partnership law creating "homosexual marriage by another name"-- and the current effort, led by Assemblyman Mark Leno of San Francisco, to legalize same-sex marriage in California.

Earlier this year, a San Francisco judge ruled that marriage between a man and a woman had "no rational basis."

"It's outrageous that politicians and judges are attacking marriage in utter violation of the people's vote to protect marriage five years ago," said Thomasson.

"Ever since the voters demanded that marriage stay between a man and a woman, these out-of-touch politicians and judges have ignored the people's vote. They've made a mockery of marriage by forcing homosexual marriage licenses and 'gay marriage by another name' on the citizens of California."

Thomasson said his organization is now writing a "true-blue marriage amendment" that will "honor and protect marriage as it always has been and always should be -- for one man and one woman."

Supporters of same-sex marriage call such amendments discriminatory.