Contact Your State Legislators on These Issues

• Senate: Republican 1-800-842-1421; Democrat 1-800-842-1420
• House of Representatives: Republican 1-800-842-1423; Democrat 1-800-842-1902

Members of Congress may be reached at: Senate: 202-224-3121 (Washington, DC); House of Representatives: 202-225-3121 (Washington, DC)

RESPECT FOR FAMILY LIFE

5. The protection of marriage from being redefined for all of society as being equivalent to same-sex unions.

Marriage is a social, legal and spiritual union between a man and a woman. Rights ascribed to marriage are given solely because of the special place in society of marriage. Marriage fosters the well being of future societies, as child bearing and rearing is a major service to societies of the present and future. In 1996, Congress affirmed that the United States federal government recognizes marriage only as a union between a man and a woman. Thirty-six states have enacted laws defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman. Benefits given to married person can be, and already are being, protected for non-married persons, without providing special benefits to homosexuals. For example, advanced directives provide for health care decision making; and the inheritance tax is being phased out. Threats to the special place marriage has in society have been rendered by domestic partnership laws in some states, and now the initiative to legally recognize same-sex union in Connecticut. Such threats to the sanctity of family life must be prevented. Call your legislator in support of a Defense of Marriage Act.

Press Release In Defense of Marriage
January 29, 2003
Connecticut Catholic Conference
Family Institute of Connecticut

We gather today to be a living witness to the truth about the nature of marriage and family within society.

Foremost to this initiative is the affirmation of the human dignity of every human being. Each person has a right to our respect. They have human dignity. In no way can we endorse any attitude or behavior toward lesbians or homosexuals that does not respect their innate dignity. What some are seeking, however, is to alter society's views of marriage and family.

Marriage is an indispensable good for society and has a right in justice to be protected. Recognizing other unions as equivalent is a profound distortion of the anthropological truth concerning the human love between a man and a woman. Man and woman have been made uniquely different to complement each other. There is no equivalency between same sex relationships and relationships formed between a man and a woman. The conjugal dimensions of marriage allow a man and a woman to create a union that symbolizes a totality. The nature of marriage is a communion of love between a man and a woman in a reciprocal gift that is open to the generation of new life. Equating other relationships to this communion is a distortion of this truth. Recognition of this covenant of love in marriage pre-dates any law of any country.

There is an effort by a small special interest group to redefine marriage and family for all of our society. These activists for the legal recognition of same-sex unions erroneously are stating that current law is discriminatory. In fact, current law allows persons, regardless of their gender or marital relationship, to designate persons who have the right to such powers as medical decision-making, healthcare visitation, and inheritance. Connecticut inheritance tax is being phased out. Same-sex couples can adopt in this state. What now these activists are seeking is to redefine marriage and family for all of society. The outcome of such initiatives would violate our civil rights. For example, in Vermont where civil unions have been legalized, the law penalizes justices of the peace who refuse to participate in such ceremonies on the grounds of conscience. Already the education of our children is being impacted. Some school resource materials state that the Gospel does not prohibit homosexuality. If marriage law in Connecticut is changed, our children will be taught values concerning marriage and the family, which we may have little ability to change. Of equal concern are the mandates that will be imposed on all members of society, who will be forced by law to recognize same-sex marriages. If individual faiths wish to recognize same-sex unions, they may do so without imposing their beliefs on all members of society. Redefining marriage for all of society is a misuse of the legislative process.

A Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is needed to protect state's rights. Connecticut has affirmed that the current policy of Connecticut is that marriage is a union of a man and a woman. However, Connecticut law recognizes marriages from other states. A DOMA will affirm the will of the people of Connecticut that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. This state's rights issue is critical to assuring that other states do not imposes their laws upon the people of Connecticut.

Today, we are presenting to Governor Rowland and to the Majority and Minority leaderships of the House and the Senate signed petitions in support of strong laws to protect marriage and the family. The petitions ask the following:

We, the undersigned, oppose the passage of any legislation that seeks to redefine marriage and request that you do the same. Further, we expect you as an elected representative of the people of Connecticut, to honor our votes and our values, and to protect the institution of marriage by supporting the following Connecticut Defense of Marriage Act:

"Only the union of one man and one woman should be valid or recognized as a marriage in Connecticut. Any other relationship shall not be recognized as a marriage or its legal equivalent, nor shall it receive the benefits or incidents exclusive to marriage from the state of Connecticut."

We are here today to ask Governor Rowland and State Representatives and State Senators to oppose any legislation that would, in part of whole, affirm same-sex "marriage" or facsimiles.

Marriage undergirds the institution of the family. A man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life, committed to the well being of each other and to the nurturing of children within a family, which cares for its members throughout all of life. Only a union between a man and a woman can fulfill this role, necessary for the furtherance of society.