Bush Renews Call to Ban Gay Marriage

[POA]

Bush Renews Call to Ban Gay Marriage

Tuesday May 18, 2004 12:16 AM

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - President Bush on Monday renewed his call for Congress to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages.

On the same day that Massachusetts began issuing licenses to gay couples, Bush said in a statement, ``The sacred institution of marriage should not be redefined by a few activist judges.''

In the statement, read aboard Air Force One by White House press secretary Scott McClellan while traveling to Topeka, Kan., Bush said that ``all Americans have a right to be heard in this debate.''

Noting that he had called on Congress some time ago to pass a constitutional amendment banning such marriages, Bush said ``the need for that amendment is still urgent, and I renew that call today.''

Although Bush has not actively put pressure on Congress to pass the measure, McClellan said the White House had been ``in close contact with members of Congress'' in an attempt to get the measure moving. #nosmileys

[calabi-yau]

RAW NUMBERS. The Center has released total state and regional marriage and divorce numbers (not the same thing as rates) for the years 2000, 1999 and 1998.
The total numbers of U.S. divorces (excluding the non-counting states) reported finalized annually are 957,200 in 2000, 944,317 in 1999, and 947,384 in 1998.
The total numbers of U.S. marriages (including those states) reported celebrated annually are 2,355,005 in 2000, 2,366,623 in 1999, and 2,267,854 in 1998.
Chart of all states and regions from this report.

This is the Census Bureau's often-cited "50%" rate, the proportion of marriages taking place right now that will eventually divorce, which has since been revised downward to roughly 43% by the National Center for Health Statistics but was moved back up to around 50% by the Census Bureau in 2002, with even more ifs ands and buts than usual.

If marriage is SOOOO sacred, what's next ? Is banning divorce in the works too ?
Americans should do as Québecers do. Don't get married. This province has such a high percentage of non-married couples (with or without children), the national assembly had to pass new legislation decades ago in order to recognize "common law" couples. I'd rather be called common than a sacred wifey anytime. Geez Americans frustrate me sometimes.

[Moses]

I find this to be incomprehensible also. If marriage is sacred, why does the Catholic Church offer anullments (thereby bastardizing the children) for $5,000 in cold cash? ("the envelope" they call it)

I wonder how the Christicans come up with their positions?

the gay thing, abortion, and ANWR are what Christianity is all about? And yet Jesus didn't say word one about any of these? This is a beast that has been fed these issues.