Last evening, February 1, 2012 the senate held a brief debate and voted to approve homosexual marriages after Democrats defeated amendments that would place the notion before the voters of the state and protections claimed to be in the bill for clergy and religions being extended to private citizens who may decline assisting in or participating in homosexual marriage ceremonies if they felt it violated their religious convictions.
For example, if you are a baker or photographer and decline to bake a wedding cake or take the photos for a homosexual marriage ceremony, feeling that your assistance or participation may violate your deeply held religious views, you may be held liable in a lawsuit for violating their civil rights.
That same protection is also denied judges, justices of the peace and others authorized to perform secular marriage ceremonies if they feel such participation may violate their deeply held religious views.
I also find claims of an $88 Million boost to the state’s economy by approving homosexual marriage specious at best.
Voicing opposition to an amendment proposed by Democrat Senator Brian Hatfield (19th district) that would have placed the final word on this before voters in the state, Democrat Lisa Brown of the 3rd district, relying on the announcement of her lesbian sister stated that such matters should not be left “to the whims of a majority.”
Openly homosexual Democrat Senator Ed Brown (43rd district) said, “The idea of a representative democracy is simply whether it is that small group (homosexuals) or whether it is small states, the majority, the whim of the majority as James Madison talked about in the Federalist Papers should not be decided in that fashion. That one half of one percent is the reason we exist.”
In 2009, passing the “Everything but Marriage” enhancement to Domestic Partnerships, Murray was quoted cautioning that “just because an almost-marriage law for same-sex couples will soon be on the books, that doesn’t mean the state will embrace same-sex marriage. California’s experience should be a lesson to us, not to move before we’re ready,” he said.
A refresher on the actions of homosexuals after voters turned down homosexual marriage in California can be seen here, here and here.
The final vote to approve was 28 to 21 in favor. Abandoning their party platform, four Republicans, Sens. Steve Litzow, Cheryl Pflug, Andy Hill, and Joe Fain elected to join the majority party to approve.
Democrats Tim Shelton, Jim Hargrove and Paull Shin came to the side of the minority party to vote against corrupting marriage in Washington State.
After the vote, addressing the legislatures lack of interest so far in working on real problems in the state, Republican Senator Jim Honeyford (15th district) said, “Now that this distracting and divisive piece of legislation has moved through the Senate I hope we can focus on the real problems facing Washington, especially the big gap in the state budget. I have been greatly dismayed by the lack of progress the Legislature has made so far this session toward dealing with the budget and other real problems the people elected us to address.”
Joining him was Republican Val Stevens (39th district) saying, “It is unconscionable that the Legislature has been disrupted the past four weeks focused almost completely on this issue. We should have spent that time working to address our state’s nearly $2 billion deficit."
Senator Mike Hewitt (16th district) joined the chorus with, “This issue has consumed the Legislature’s time and attention for four weeks. We’re almost halfway through the 2012 session and the Senate has yet to hold any substantive hearings on specific reforms or a proposed budget. It’s time to get on track and focus on what citizens sent us here to do this year – enact much-needed reforms and balance our budget.”
Addressing the defeat of amendments that would protect private citizens from allegations of discrimination by adhering to their deeply held religious views, Senator Janéa Holmquist Newbry (13th district) said, “I am worried about the religious liberties and free conscience of those who support traditional marriage. Individuals in domestic partnerships represent two-tenths of one percent of the state’s population, yet the Senate tonight ignored the remaining 99 percent of us. What we witnessed tonight is not the bestowal of civil rights, but the exercise of political power.”
Joining her with a similar concern, Senator Dan Swecker (20th district) added, “I am worried about the religious liberties and free conscience of those who support traditional marriage,” said Holmquist Newbry. “Individuals in domestic partnerships represent two-tenths of one percent of the state’s population, yet the Senate tonight ignored the remaining 99 percent of us. What we witnessed tonight is not the bestowal of civil rights, but the exercise of political power.”
In regards to the Democrats successfully blocking an amendment to place this issue before voters, Sen. Mike Padden (4th district) said, “Unfortunately the majority party rejected other important attempts to protect the rights of Washingtonians, as well as an amendment to attach a referendum clause to the measure and put it before voters on the fall ballot. The people of the 4th Legislative District, and all of Washington, deserve the last word on a subject of this magnitude.”
Adding her voice, Sen. Linda Evans Parlette (12th district) said, “Over the past several weeks I have heard from hundreds of people who have strong feelings on both sides of the issue. I think the Legislature should give them, and all the other citizens of Washington, the opportunity to personally weigh in.”
The bill is now before the House where I have no doubt that the Democrats will continue to ignore pressing issues to focus on passing this notion of sham marriage off on citizens in the State. I also believe that it will easily pass with the assistance of more turncoat Republicans as Rep. Glenn Anderson (5th district) and Rep. Maureen Walsh (16th district), who co-sponsored the house bill, have already signed on to it.
It will be signed by governor Gregoire right away instead of pushing for real problems facing Washington Citizens be addressed during this short legislative session.
There are already citizen initiatives being written and filed to allow voters in the state a say in this matter.
We can expect intimidation of those most likely to sign the petitions as, thanks to current Republican candidate for governor Rob McKenna, all of the names, signatures and addresses of any who signed the referendum petition on the ‘Everything but Marriage” bill were handed over to some 30 homosexual activist groups to be placed on internet websites with search engines.
Homosexual activists have already vowed to have “aggressive conversations” with those they feel most likely to sign petitions.
Republican candidate for replacing McKenna as Attorney General, Reagan Dunn has also announced his support for homosexual marriage. Of that announcement, Kirby Wilbur, chairman of the Washington State Republican Party said, “Dunn’s stance has sparked an emotional reaction from many. Dunn has 10 months to convince Republicans he’s on their side on most other issues. Reagan is an experienced politician. Can he handle it? We’ll see. I think he can.”
I believe conservative voters in the state, feeling abandoned by the Republican Party will best decide that.
Conservatives have choices in Shahram Hadian for governor and conservative Everett attorney Stephen Pidgeon who has announced his campaign for Attorney General.
Mr. Hadian will be visiting Vancouver again Friday night, February 3 at 6:30pm at Cascade Middle School. If you are feeling disenfranchised by the spineless actions of the WSRP and some candidates, you are invited to attend to learn more about Shahram Hadian.
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