Five Wrongs Don’t Make a Right
If you’re having a hard time keeping up with the rash of marriage rulings in the U.S., you’re not alone. Just within the last two weeks, there have been five troubling rulings:
1. Tues. May 13 A federal judge declared Idaho’s marriage amendment unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay to put same-sex weddings on hold while the ruling is being appealed.
2. Thurs. May 15 An Arkansas state judge clarified his ruling that the state marriage amendment was unconstitutional. The next day, the Arkansas Supreme Court granted a stay to put same-sex weddings on hold while the ruling is being appealed.
3. Mon. May 19 Oregon’s marriage amendment was struck down by an openly gay federal judge. The Oregon attorney general has refused to appeal the ruling or defend the marriage amendment.
4. Mon. May 19 A Federal Judge ordered Utah to recognize over the over 1,000 same-sex marriages that were performed before they were placed on hold when a stay was granted on January 6. This is the first time a judge has actually ordered a state to recognize such marriages, however the ruling will not take effect for 21 days, to allow Utah time to file an appeal.
5. Tues. May 20 A Federal judge ruled that Pennsylvania’s marriage amendment is unconstitutional. Not only did Pennsylvania’s attorney general refuse to appeal the ruling or defend the amendment, she applauded the judge’s ruling.
In the Pennsylvania decision, Judge John Jones made a disturbing conclusion about laws that protect traditional marriage:
“Some of our citizens are made deeply uncomfortable by the notion of same-sex marriage. However, that same sex marriage cause discomfort in some does not make its prohibition constitutional. We are a better people than what these laws represent, and it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history.”
Natural Marriage must not be thrown into the “ash heap of history!”
Five wrongs don’t make a Right. Neither do 50 wrongs. Judges may continue to change state laws, but they can’t change natural law. Marriage is more than an emotional bond between adults; it is about safely connecting children to the mother and father who created them. Children still need a mother and a father, and marriage between a man and a woman is still the critical foundation of society.
The question of same-sex marriage in America is expected to ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. But even if marriage is legally redefined to include same-sex couples, we must continue to do all we can to uphold the time-honored ideal of natural marriage between a man and a woman.
Here are some ways you can continue to stand for marriage:
• Strengthen your own marriage—and show you value and love your spouse by doing such things as holding hands in public.
• Teach your children the importance of mothers and fathers, as well as the value of treating everyone with kindness and respect.
• Speak out when you have the opportunity, “because children need a mother and a father.”
• Sign the petition in support of marriage between a man and a woman.
It is encouraging to note that the majority of Americans still believe in natural marriage. A recent Policito poll showed that the battle for public opinion on marriage is far from over – 52% of voters are opposed to same-sex marriage, while 48% are in favor of it. But if you find yourself feeling faint, remember the words of Winston Churchill:
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
The situation for marriage in America is very serious, but it is not a time to give up, it is a time to wake up. All the judges in the world cannot change the truth that natural law–and nature itself–is on our side.
Faithfully,
Laura Bunker
President, United Families International