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Drama, Hypocrisy, and Polygamy As Senate Panel Approves Gay Marriage Amendment Email Print

By Tom Ball
05/19/2006 01:46:22 PM EST

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to approve a constitutional amendment stating that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the "union of a man and a woman." But the amendment is not expected to get the approval of two-thirds of the Senate, which is necessary to pass a constitutional amendment.

Stating the obvious, Democrats "complained that bringing up the amendment is a political move designed to appeal to the GOP's conservative base in a midterm-election year."

Well duh! Perhaps a clever Democrat could find a way to defer debate on the issue until after November?

CNN's The Situation Room reported "one Democrat walked out of the session that was held in a private chamber just off the Senate floor." Sen. Russ Feingold "complained to Chairman Arlen Specter that the meeting wasn't sufficiently open to the public. We're told that led to this exchange. Specter told Feingold, 'I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more of a protector of the Constitution than am I. If you want to leave, good riddance.' Feingold then responded, 'I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman. See you.'"

More interestingly, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said "Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, who supports the gay-marriage ban, has expressed support for polygamists in his home state of Utah. "I never said that," Hatch responded.
"I know some (polygamists) that are very sincere. ... Don't accuse me of wanting to have polygamy."

In fact, Senator Hatch DID express support for polygamists in Utah. Here's what Hatch said in 2003 at a public gathering in southern Utah:

"I'm not here to justify polygamy. All I can say is, I know people in Hildale who are polygamists who are very fine people. You come and show me the evidence of children being abused there and I'll get involved. Bring me the evidence. [He said further,] I personally don't believe in polygamy but I'm not going to judge others who feel differently."

Well, he certainly supports these polygamists -- touting them as 'very fine people' even though he does not outrightly express support for the idea of polygamy itself. Does he really have to?

Also interesting were these comments Hatch made at this same gathering -- finding himself pressed by anti-polygamy activists to take a stand against the practice... ... Hatch said he could not take unsubstantiated claims [about polygamists] and enforce law, and he would not "sit here and judge anybody just because they live differently than me. There will be laws on the books, but these are very complicated issues,"

Interestingly, Hatch authored a letter on November 16, 2003 where he admitted that polygamy itself is a crime (with or without child-rape). Hatch wrote, "Polygamy is a very sensitive issue, especially among Utahans. As you know, practicing polygamy is both against the law and LDS Church teachings.

So Orrin 'knows people who are polygamists' (i.e. criminals), and yet refuses to report them to the legal authorities -- and this despite his complaint that he can only enforce the laws if he has 'substantiated claims'. Can't he substantiate his own claims?

Clearly this is behavior unbecoming a U.S. Senator. Are there any repercussions?

It should also be noted that Hatch's indignant opposition to Gays and Gay Marriage are completely without merit coming from a man who would not "sit here and judge anybody just because they live differently than me."

Truly despicable.


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Drama, Hypocrisy, and Polygamy As Senate Panel Approves Gay Marriage Amendment | 2 comments (2 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Very Obvious And Frightening (none / 1)
The biggest threats to the United States, according to these pandering Republican zealots in Congress, are:

  • Monogomous Gays
  • Hard-working Mexicans and Salvadorans
  • Bilingual people

The biggest threats to the United States, in my opinion are:

  • Homophobic, racist, xenophobic, bigots
  • Apathetic people
  • Pathetic opposition parties
  • Celebrity News Hosts

Amazing how these tactics, though, take Iraq, torture, warrantless searches, ENRON, gas prices, New Orleans, and all the other real crises facing our country off the front page.

Craig Wiesner Educational Products for Peace and Social Justice www.reachandteach.com

by accidentalactivist on 05/19/2006 06:50:28 PM EST

This week, in Georgia (none / 0)
It happens that I spent the week in Atlanta, and watching the local news each night was subjected to the fearmongering over the possibility that a state court would act to uphold the rights of gays.  Again and again, politicians (and newspeople) made statements along the lines of "the people of Georgia have already made their voices heard on this issue.  They shouldn't be overruled by a single judge."  A statement that made me more tempted to kick in the TV screen each time I heard it.

The assumption that majority opinion trumps the rights of any minority seems to be Republican writ these days.

by Devilstower on 05/20/2006 09:58:33 PM EST

Drama, Hypocrisy, and Polygamy As Senate Panel Approves Gay Marriage Amendment | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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