Line in the Sand

Special News Alert

FROM: Alan Sears, Alliance Defense Fund President


Another Twist in the Battle For Marriage…

“[You need] to fight for same-sex marriage and its benefits, and then, once granted, redefine the institution of marriage completely…to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic institution…The most subversive action lesbians and gay men can undertake…is to transform the notion of ‘family’ entirely.” – Homosexual activist Michelangelo Signorile.

This morning, the Massachusetts State Supreme Judicial Court issued another decision in the continued battle for the institution of marriage. As you may recall, the court ruled last November, that there was no “rational basis” to deny homosexual couples the “right” to “marry.” The court stayed the order for 180 days to allow the Massachusetts legislature to take up the matter before same-sex “marriage” licenses would be issued. The court had looked to foreign law (in Ontario, Canada) – rather than any express language in its own Constitution – to base their decision.


One of the alternatives that the state legislature has proposed is so-called “civil unions,” that grant all of the legal benefits of marriage without calling it marriage. The legislature asked the court for an advisory opinion on whether or not they could implement civil unions instead of same-sex “marriage.” Today, the court said “no,” that the legislature has no choice but to grant full-fledged same-sex “marriage.”

Today’s ruling will be heralded by the secular press as another step towards the inevitability of same-sex “marriage.” However, there is another side to the story. ADF funded lawyers asked the court not to replace marriage with civil unions either. Why? Because the court has now made the battle lines even clearer: it is either full-blown marriage or no marriage substitute for radical homosexual activists. While some may bemoan this ruling, we see this now as an opportunity to protect marriage from the clutches of the radical homosexual activists, since no redefined replacement, such as civil unions, is acceptable.


The quote above from Michelangelo Signorile tells us what is at stake. The most radical of the homosexual activists have made their motives clear. They do not want marriage in order to set up monogamous stable relationships – they want the term “marriage” so they can bring about the wholesale destruction of the institution. That is why they will not relent until they receive this title for their “relationships.” What is happening in Massachusetts is just another “peeling of the onion” of the radical homosexual agenda to re-order society on their terms.

But in the words of Yogi Berra, “it ain’t over ‘till its over.” ADF funded lawyers continue to work overtime in the highly complex legal battle to preserve traditional marriage and overturn this decision. This next Wednesday, the state legislature will convene a constitutional convention to determine whether or not the people of Massachusetts will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment that will define marriage as being between “one man and one woman.” In addition, ADF, the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, and many other allied groups will be working together to press for the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would protect traditional marriage nationwide. ADF will continue its major support of legal efforts in this area. This morning, President Bush agreed to join the effort to push for the passage of this amendment.

This is not a time to despair, but it is a time for us to get on our knees in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), roll up our sleeves, and work even harder. Working together, we can preserve traditional marriage, not only for this generation, but for generations to come.