Why We Oppose the Marriage Protection Amendment

Marriage Equality

Marriage is a commitment. It is about creating a family. It is also about rights and responsibilities. Marriage is about sharing, love, trust and compromise. Two adults who make this personal decision to form a life-long commitment should not be denied the right to marry the person they want to marry just because they are gay or lesbian.

Gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. They pay taxes and serve our communities. They raise children and volunteer with civic organizations. They simply desire the same rights, responsibilities and protections as all other Pennsylvanians.

Denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry will adversely impact their legal rights in pension, health insurance, hospital visitations, and inheritance that heterosexual couples enjoy.

Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in American when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. Unfortunately our laws continue to deny the right to marry to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.

People are not being asked to change their religious beliefs and nobody is trying to force any clergy person to perform same-sex weddings. There are many things about modern society that some religious organizations do not endorse. Yet, as a society we are governed by laws and not by religious beliefs.

Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment

Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania. This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive.

With all of the problems that the Pennsylvania Senate should be addressing, it is disturbing that some of the members would spend time and resources to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to make an unnecessary pronouncement about marriage.

The proposed amendment could take away existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children, as well as limit other types of relationship recognition. It would also prohibit civil unions.

According to recent polling data, Pennsylvanians statewide support civil unions for lesbian and gay couples by a margin of support of 65% to 27%, or more than two to one. (November 2007, Susquehanna Polling and Research)