[1]BOSTON (BP)–Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has told homosexual activists that the federal government should recognize same-sex “marriages” and civil unions that are legalized on the state level, The Washington Post reported March 4.
His position means that the federal government would grant the same 1,000-plus benefits enjoyed by married couples nationwide to same-sex couples — provided that those couples lives in a state that allows for same-sex “marriage” or civil unions.
Kerry made the pledge at a homosexual fundraiser in San Francisco Feb. 27, the newspaper reported, adding that it is the furthest Kerry has gone in defining his position on same-sex “marriage.”
“[H]e would bestow all federal benefits such as the right to file joint income taxes and collect survivor benefits to same-sex couples who unite legally in civil unions, domestic partnerships and even marriage under their state laws,” The Post reported.
Kerry, who says he personally opposes same-sex “marriage,” has been criticized by homosexual activists for supporting a marriage amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that would ban same-sex “marriage” while legalizing civil unions.
He opposes a federal marriage amendment and was one of only 14 senators in 1996 to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.
[2]Kerry’s comments at the fundraiser were meant to appease homosexual activists, The Post said.
Kerry is trying to find “middle ground” on same-sex “marriage,” his advisers told the newspaper.
“There were a lot of people who were very upset at the way his position was described,” Jeff Soukup, a Kerry supporter who is a homosexual, told The Post. “And there were a lot of people who had been planning to attend the fundraiser who said they would not attend until Kerry clarified his position.”
California state Rep. Mark Leno, who has introduced a bill in California that would legalize same-sex “marriage,” was pleased with Kerry’s position.
“It’s the first time in history that a presidential candidate has ever supported full and equal protection for same-sex couples,” Leno told the newspaper. “He told me that he would grant all 1,049 federal rights to same-sex couples in whatever legal union their states recognize.”
President Bush backed a constitutional marriage amendment Feb. 24, saying it may be the only way to stop nationalized same-sex “marriage.”
“An amendment to the Constitution is never to be undertaken lightly,” Bush said at the time. “The amendment process has addressed many serious matters of national concern. And the preservation of marriage rises to this level of national importance.”
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For more information on the debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit BP’s story collection at:
http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage [3]