In 1996, gay marriage percolated to the political forefront starting in Hawaii when several gay couples sued for the right to legally marry. Pro-family organizations and policy makers, in an effort to get in front of the movement, passed The Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.
With the new administration and US President Barrack Obama’s promise to the gay community, there is a distinct possibility that one of the first acts of the U.S. liberal Congress will be to repeal DOMA, opening the door for the redefinition of marriage based on the faulty premise that civil unions are not the same as traditional marriage.
DOMA – HOW IT WORKS
DOMA is a promise to protect our culture, our society and our future. The federal government ensures federal benefits to encourage couples to marry and support the children within that marriage – codifying what governments have long known; the strength of nations lies within the family. Some of the benefits that are embedded within the law include:
- Immigration
- Welfare
- Taxation
- Employment
- Social Security survivor rights
- Veteran benefits
What DOMA does is protect marriage from being redefined at the federal level from acts by the states, and gives each state the right to refuse recognition of same-sex marriage licenses issued by other states.
What DOMA does not do is prohibit states from allowing gay marriages, and does not obligate states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. DOMA also defines marriage between one man and one woman recognizing that marriage is the foundation of our society and deserves special treatment.
In plain English, the provisions of The Federal Defense of Marriage Act disallow marriage licenses granted to gay and lesbian couples in one state from being recognized by another state. Gay marriage licenses issued in Massachusetts, for instance, are only valid in Massachusetts – unless and until other states pass laws recognizing them. Federal benefits are also withheld from legally recognized same-sex couples in states where marriage is recognized.
ALTERNATIVES TO MARRIAGE
In an attempt to appease the gay community’s demand for equal rights without total alienation from pro-family groups and individuals, policy makers found alternative legal substitutes to marriage. The first was invented in the northeast where legislation by the bench set a new precedent.
Civil Unions Mimic Marriage in State Law Only
The term civil union was coined by Vermont policymakers in 2000 in response to their Supreme Court’s ruling that declared gays were entitled to “common benefits and protections that flow from marriage under Vermont law.” This new legally recognized relationship allowed some or all of the same rights of marriage on the state level, without the protection, recognition and benefits of the federal government. Today, there are a total of four states that recognize civil unions: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and New Jersey.
Domestic Partnership
Not to be outdone, California adopted a similar alternative called domestic partnership. First enacted in 1999; then expanded in 2005 to include all state marriage rights, making it virtually the same as civil unions. Hawaii and Maine also have domestic partnership laws that give a limited amount of rights and protections as state marriage law.
EFFECTS OF REDEFINING MARRIAGE ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
Note that the number of gay marriages and civil unions in the United States is very small, in fact miniscule in comparison to traditional marriage, and a lot less than even proponents of LGBT rights anticipated. Even so, the LGBT advocates have turned the debate into one of special rights versus the protection of the family and traditional marriage. This small percentage of individuals is on the brink of changing society as we know it; dooming future generations to financial, moral and cultural ruin.
Social and Cultural Changes
Sex, marriage and child rearing has a profound effect on communities, states, nations and society as a whole. The costs associated with “a live and let live” society are enormous and will only continue to escalate until untenable. Expect to see:
- Changes in divorce law and custody
- Additional immigration sponsorship of gay spouses and family members
- Less reliance on families and faith-based initiatives and church attendance
- Increase in poverty, welfare rolls, incarcerations and increased government programs that try to alleviate these conditions
- A reduction in live birth rates
- The passage of mercy killings, and assisted suicide initiatives
- Broad access to government programs that provide condoms, and other devices to reduce HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases at tax payers’ expense
- Future recognition of other marriage relationships including polygamy
Religious Liberty in Jeopardy
There are current examples of religious speech, assembly and worship being threatened in the U.S. and around the world. Churches will no longer be allowed to preach their doctrine and encourage marriage between one man and one woman; because “anything goes” relationship definitions will be protected by the law, making lawbreakers of those who oppose them. United Families points out some of the threats to religious freedom in past publications, but note what the future holds:
- Further closures of faith-based social services, like adoption and foster care
- Elimination of religious ceremonies, including marriage
- Eventual closure of parochial schools, churches and practices
Educational Changes Including Curriculum
Children in Massachusetts are already forced to take home diversity packets introducing them to the homosexual lifestyle, which undermines parental rights as well as indoctrinates the next generation. What is happening in Massachusetts and in other countries where same-sex marriage is legal is just the beginning.
- Loss of parental rights
- Increase in sex-curriculum including the teaching of homosexuality, etc.
- The elimination of abstinence-only programs
- Distribution of condoms and other devises to prevent HIV/AIDS and pregnancy
- The opening of additional gay schools and programs