BOSTON, Massachusetts, FEB. 4, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Massachusetts’ high court ruled that only full, equal marriage rights for homosexual couples — instead of civil unions — are constitutional, meaning the state could have same-sex marriage within months.
“The history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal,” the four justices who ruled in favor of homosexual marriage wrote in the advisory opinion requested by the state Senate, the Associated Press reported.
In response to today’s ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court, the president of the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, said in a statement: “On Feb. 11 the Massachusetts legislature will vote on the Marriage Affirmation and Protection Amendment, which would give the people of Massachusetts — rather than four activist judges — the power to decide whether marriage will be protected or deconstructed.
“Today, the SJC has not left any wiggle room for state legislators who were hoping to bypass the controversial debate by simply granting homosexual couples civil union partnerships.”
“Today’s decision by the SJC leaves no doubt what is at stake in Massachusetts,” Perkins said. “Either the institution of marriage will be protected, or it will be redefined out of existence. … We are not just fighting to preserve marriage in Massachusetts. This case will determine the future of marriage throughout America.”
