Same-sex marriage: election issue

Same-sex marriage will be a hot ballot issue in upcoming elections.

By Scott Kanowsky

Published Sept. 5, 2008

In May, four California Supreme Court justices overturned a ban on same-sex marriages, causing elation for civil rights activists and consternation for conservative coalitions across the country. The debate continues today, with both sides still highly enthusiastic about their causes.

For the American Civil Liberties Union, winning Missourian hearts and minds has not been easy.

"Missouri is a tough state," said Dan Winter, the interim executive director of the Kansas and western Missouri chapter of the ACLU.

Winter said he hopes to garner the support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon, even though Nixon combined with several other state attorneys general to protest California's ruling.

"I support him, but I'm not convinced Nixon has the appropriate level of civil rights in mind for all Missouri," Winter said.

For those supporting same-sex marriage, the legislation was an encouraging sign that American society is heading toward new frontiers, Winter said.

"I'm 50 years old and I'm thrilled," he said. "Eight years ago, I'd never thought I'd see this happen. It's the next big thing on the civil rights front."

Winter said he witnessed a tumultuous fight for homosexual rights since the election of President George Bush in 2000.

Starting with the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial decision to prohibit laws that ban private acts of sodomy, Americans saw Bush call for a Constitutional amendment preventing same-sex marriage, while Massachusetts and California moved to legalize it.

Conservative organizations are trying to retain marriage as a union between only a man and a woman. Protect Marriage, a conservative California-based group, stated on its Web site, "For centuries, marriage as a legal, civil and religious institution between a man and a woman has protected children and society in every country and culture."

Protect Marriage stated on Aug. 21 that it had enough signatures to place Propostion 8, which calls for the reversal of the state Supreme Court's decision, on California's ballot in the November elections.

"The Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage did not just overturn the will of California voters; it also redefined marriage for the rest of society, without ever asking the people themselves to accept this decision," the Web site states.

Overall, most Americans remain split on same-sex marriage. A Time Magazine poll conducted in July found that 47 percent supported it, 47 percent were against it, and 7 percent were unsure about it.

But in Missouri, this battle was decided by an overwhelming majority of 71 percent to 29 percent, when residents approved a 2004 amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage.

At MU, debate over the controversy still causes great ideological divisions.

"Marriage is between one man and one woman, that's it," said MU College Republicans Chairman Bryan Johnson. "No ifs, ands or buts about it. That's marriage."

MU senior Kevin Bryant, who is gay, regarded the recent California resolution as "almost too good to be true."

"Hopefully the rest of the country will try to follow in California's footsteps," he said.

Bryant's position on gay marriage does provide another twist in an extraordinarily complex issue.

Bryant said many in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning community do not necessarily want marriage - they just want the choice.

"People should have the right (to get married)," Bryant said. "Right now we don't the option. Many don't want to conform to society's expectations, some people want to get married, (others) want the marriage legalized."

Bryant said the issue of same-sex marriage encapsulates a much larger environment of discrimination at MU.

"I don't feel any freer here then I did in my home town," he said.