SAN FRANCISCO (BP)–Many homosexuals feel that California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has let them down, and they’re letting her know it.
Feinstein, a Democrat and a prominent social liberal on many issues, has been given this year’s “Pink Brick” award — an annual dubious honor that goes to a person who has done the most harm to the homosexual cause, the Associated Press reported. The award is handed out by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Committee.
Feinstein was a surprise winner, being she has championed homosexual causes and was a vocal opponent of the marriage amendment last year. Her offense? Saying that President Bush’s re-election was helped when San Francisco’s mayor issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples in violation of state law.
“I believe it did energize a very conservative vote,” Feinstein said immediately after the election. “It gave them a position to rally around. The whole issue has been too much, too fast, too soon.”
That comment was too much for many in the homosexual community.
“There are a lot of people in the community who feel very betrayed by her because they have supported her,” Joey Cain, president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Committee, told AP.
But many commentators — including some in the homosexual community — also said the issue helped Bush.
Steve Weinstein, editor of the homosexual newspaper New York Blade, even argued in a post-election column that the same-sex “marriage” issue ended up “handing the election” to Bush.
“I accuse the gay leadership in this country of putting their own selfish interests above the greater good of the electorate,” Weinstein wrote. “There is no reason why we should have been pursuing the issue of gay marriage on the eve of an election year. The key to being a good general is not knowing how to choose the victories, but in judiciously choosing your defeats.
“Would it have made such a difference to those couples in Massachusetts if they had waited a year or two before tying the knot? Would it have hurt San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom or New Paltz Mayor Jason West to have put off marrying gay couples until Nov. 3, 2004?”
FLORIDA CASES WITHDRAWN — All but one of the lawsuits challenging Florida’s ban on “gay marriage” have been withdrawn by homosexual activists, the pro-family legal group Liberty Counsel said April 7. The group announced that seven of the eight lawsuits that had been filed had been withdrawn in recent weeks.
In January, a federal judge in Florida upheld the state’s ban on “gay marriage” and also upheld the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Following that, attorney Ellis Rubin — who had been involved in seven of the cases — said he would withdraw his lawsuits. The only one pending now, a state lawsuit, involves the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Liberty Counsel has been involved in all of them.
“Although seven of the eight court challenges against Florida’s marriage laws have been dismissed, Florida voters can only take comfort in protecting marriage though the passage of a state constitutional amendment,” Liberty Counsel President Mat Staver said in a statement. “To successfully defend marriage, we have to win 100 percent of the time. One loss can have huge repercussions and create a ripple effect around the country.”
Including Florida, nine states nationwide are involved in “gay marriage” lawsuits.
S.C. ADVANCES AMENDMENT — A state constitutional marriage amendment passed a Senate committee in South Carolina April 5 on a 16-2 vote. It previously passed the House and will go to voters in 2006.
Already, legislatures in three states — Alabama, South Dakota and Tennessee — have sent amendments to voters for a 2006 vote. Another dozen or so states may follow.
The amendments ensure that state judges cannot legalize same-sex “marriage.” Unrestrained by a marriage amendment, Massachusetts’ high court was able to issue its pro-“gay marriage” ruling.
State amendments, though, are vulnerable in federal court. Because of that pro-family groups are promoting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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For more information about the national debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage.
