Crowd packs legislative meeting on W.Va. marriage amendment
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Charleston Gazette: As some states move toward legalizing same-sex marriage, conservative Christian groups are pressing West Virginia lawmakers to let voters ban it by amending the state constitution. On Tuesday, an interim legislative committee studying a possible constitutional amendment -- which would define marriage as between one man and one woman -- heard from supporters and opponents of the idea. More than 70 people on both sides packed the committee room, and the crowd spilled into the hallway. Family Policy Council of West Virginia president Jeremiah Dys told delegates and senators they have "no legitimate reason" to prevent a statewide referendum to amend the constitution. "The constitution of the state of West Virginia belongs to the people," he said. Since 2001, West Virginia has had a Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits it from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. But Dys cited recent developments in other states -- such as Connecticut and Iowa -- as evidence that the law could be challenged in court. "It is no longer debatable that there exists a coordinated, nationwide effort to redefine marriage," Dys said. Legislators heard from two groups opposed to an amendment: the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia and Fairness West Virginia.
Making minority rights "a function of popular opinion" endangers everyone's rights, said ACLU organizer and lobbyist Seth DiStefano. Everyone has been part of a minority group at some point, DiStefano said -- whether because of their age, race, religion, gender, or disability. "No one's rights are safe if anyone's rights can be taken away by the whim of popular opinion," he said. Fairness West Virginia board president Stephen Skinner questioned how an amendment would protect heterosexual marriages from divorce and other problems. "Is this going to help one marriage in West Virginia?" he asked. He said people don't choose their sexual orientation, and asked whether the state's "Come Home to West Virginia" campaign should include an asterisk.
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