In a televised interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on December 16, 2003 President Bush stated that he would support a United States Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
Given the great influence that presidential support can have on proposed legislation in Congress, now more than ever it is essential that you contact both your United States Senators (Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow) and your Representative (see link to find your representative) to voice your opposition to this proposed amendment.
The proposed federal amendment to the United States Constitution goes much further than banning same-sex marriage (which already is banned by the current federal law, entitled the Defense of Marriage Act). The amendment would ban any form of governmental recognition of same-sex relationships, including civil unions. States such as Vermont which provide for civil unions, as well as California and Hawaii which provide for domestic partner benefits would be precluded from doing so.
Such an amendment would foreclose any constitutional legal challenge to the denial of recognition of same-sex relationships.
The proposed amendment goes against the history and tradition of amendments to our United States Constitution which has been amended only 17 times in more than 225 years. Unlike this proposal which would codify discrimination against a certain group of individuals, the constitution has only been amended to expand the rights of United States citizens. Polls show that a majority of Americans, even those who oppose same-sex marriage, are against tinkering with the Constitution to promote discrimination.
Call your Senators and Representatives and let them know your opposition.
To find your Representative:
http://www.house.gov/representatives/
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
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