DNC Tells Bush, Republicans To Stop 'Discriminatory Amendment' Against Gays

By Jimmy Moore
Talon News
January 19, 2005

The Democratic National Committee has created a petition for its supporters to combat the move for a "discriminatory" constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman being promoted by President George W. Bush and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX).

In an e-mail to the Democratic Party mailing list on Saturday, the DNC claimed Bush "suffered an embarrassing defeat when a measure to write discrimination into the U.S. Constitution was soundly defeated in both the Senate and the House despite Bush's adamant public support for it."

The DNC accused DeLay of wanting to "rewrite the Constitution."

"This amendment would forever invalidate civil unions or other legal protections for gay and lesbian families, like the right to partner health benefits, hospital visits, parental rights, and death benefits -- even if state legislatures or voters approve measures to protect them," the DNC warned in the e-mail.

Maintaining that Bush wants to "deny gay and lesbian Americans basic rights," the DNC noted that White House political adviser Karl Rove said Bush would push for this "discriminatory amendment."

Concerned that this is "at the top of the Republican legislative agenda" according to DeLay, the DNC said Bush attempted to use "moderate rhetoric" during the presidential campaign last year by stating that the states should make the decision about what to do with the issue of gay marriage.

The DNC asserted in the e-mail that Bush "can't have it both ways" with his support for a constitutional amendment and his simultaneous position of leaving it to the states to decide.

"It is time for Bush to move America forward and come out publicly against this amendment," the DNC asserted. "We can't think of a better time than Bush's upcoming State of the Union address. Join with the Democratic Party and sign our petition today asking Bush to tell Republicans in Washington to stop discriminating against millions of American families."

The petition, featured on the DNC web site, reads as follows:

Dear President Bush:

I urge you to use your State of the Union address as an opportunity to tell your Republican friends in Congress to stop trying to write discrimination in the U.S. Constitution.

The amendment you and your fellow Republicans are again advocating for will forever invalidate civil unions and other legal protections for gay and lesbian families, like the right to partner health benefits, hospital visits, parental rights and death benefits- even if state legislatures or voters approve measures to protect them.

During the State of The Union, tell your colleagues to withdraw their support for this measure. This measure threatens the freedom of all Americans because it denies civil rights to a whole group of individuals.