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The Baptist clergyman complains: "Today these writings are viewed as archaic and outmoded by homosexuals who are currently pressing to have their relationships officially sanctioned by the government." Exhibiting views that have encouraged critics to call him a member of the "Christian Taliban" Falwell insists that "present American law fundamentally reflects biblical tenets, including the Ten Commandments. "In order to alter these time-honored laws that sanction the Judeo-Christian vision of marriage, constitutional revisionists are on a quest to secularize America and subsequently destroy the values that characterized the nation for most of its glorious history. "And this is an unstoppable train. If the sacred bonds of marriage are destroyed, who knows what the future holds. Will men legally marry young boys and girls? Will men legally take on multiple wives and husbands? These are not outrageous questions." In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex relations, Falwell appears to be particularly distressed. He writes: "The recent Texas sodomy case brought new light to this escalating issue." In concert with Gary Bauer, Falwell attacks the Supreme Court's majority of six, saying that he is "concerned about "un-elected judges taking over the authority that elected officials are supposed to exercise." Thus, he insists, a Federal Marriage Amendment is needed: "An amendment to the U.S. Constitution is being proposed to protect the sanctity of marriage, securing it as a legal declaration solely between a man and a woman and protecting it from scheming jurists." Falwell celebrates that fact that the Federal Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has advanced to the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution. The amendment reads: "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups." This amendment must be passed by two-thirds of the House and Senate and ratified by three-fourths of the states in order to be added to the Constitution. The amendment now has 27 co-sponsors in the House and, while there is no Senate bill, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has addressed the need for such an amendment. A companion Senate bill is expected to arrive on the scene soon. Falwell calls these political schemes "timely legislation." Presently, he says, the "Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is considering whether seven homosexuals couples that sued the state in an effort to gain the right to marry under civil law should be allowed to do so." Falwell quotes Ken Connor, president of the Family Research Institute: "Should the court rule in favor of same-sex marriage, pro-homosexual activists will undoubtedly resort to lawsuits based on the Constitution's 'Full Faith & Credit Clause' to push for marital rights in every other state. That clause requires states to recognize the 'public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state.'" Falwell demands that fundamentalist Baptists "Take Action, Now!" He says: "Christians nationwide must become proactive in urging their congressional representatives to support Rep. Musgrave's legislation. "If ever there was a time for Christians to get involved in the political process, it is now. Currently, homosexual-rights organizations are asking supporters to contact their representatives and urge them not to back Mrs. Musgrave's legislation." Blaming the failure of today's heterosexual relationships on gay men and lesbians, Falwell has launched a Nazi-like screed that scapegoats same-sex lovers in much the same way that the Third Reich once denigrated Jewish citizens: "We must aggressively combat the homosexual effort to destroy the tradition of marriage. This nation is on the precipice of moral devastation. Forty-two million children have been aborted in my lifetime; half of our marriages fail; millions of children are being raised by single parents; and multitudes of American teenagers are sexually active. I don't know if America can survive another dagger in the heart of its moral fabric. "I urge all readers to contact their representatives to encourage them to support Rep. Musgrave's Federal Marriage Amendment that defines marriage as a sacred trust between one man and one woman." Falwell has provided his audiences with the telephone number of the U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121. Some GayToday readers may also wish to take note of that number in order to call their representative in the U.S. Congress as well as the two senators who represent their states. When connected, considerately tell the representative's spokesperson that a vote against the Federal Marriage Amendment would be much appreciated. (When speaking to senators' offices, remember that companion legislation to Mrs. Musgrave's House amendment has not yet come forth. One may say that, when the Senate legislation is finally written, it is to be hoped the senator will oppose it. To E-mail your senators, click on this link to find his/her address: http://www.senate.gov/index.htm To E-mail your congressman, click on this link to find his/her address: http://www.house.gov/ |
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The Rev. Jerry Falwell is on a crusade to ban same-sex marriages through a Constitutional amendment