Editor's Desk: Marriage Fight Will Continue

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 7/22/04)

The U.S. Senate voted last week to close debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment, thus temporarily killing the proposal. Despite this setback, pro-family groups vowed to continue the fight to protect the sanctity of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"The 49 votes (in the Senate) represent a major milestone in this initiative because we were able to bring to a vote such an important measure, so important that the presidential candidates returned to town for it," said Bob Laird, director of the Diocesan Office for Family Life. "Now we can see which senators are interested in defending marriage and which are not. I have been told that there will be another vote in the fall — and another — and another — until this measure is passed."

Laird said the Arlington Diocese sent about 20,000 letters to Virginia Senators George Allen and John Warner in support of the amendment prior to the Senate vote. (insert here how Virginia senators voted) "It was the second largest letter-writing drive that we have ever done in the diocese — one that was done on very short notice," Laird said. "I truly thank those who made it happen. Your work will be rewarded."

The Alliance for Marriage (AFM) welcomed the Senate vote as the first step in the process of putting the future of American marriage back in the hands of the people.

AFM President Matt Daniels said his group hoped to create a democratic debate on the issue when it drafted the marriage amendment more than three years ago. "We introduced our marriage amendment in both the House and Senate in order to let the people decide the future of marriage," he said. "Our amendment will continue to gain ground so long as activists continue to strike down our marriage laws in court."

Daniels said that most Americans believe that gays and lesbians have a right to live as they choose, but they don’t have a right to redefine marriage for the entire society. "Americans want our laws to send a positive message to children about marriage, family and their future," he said.

"Although we are disappointed by today’s outcome, we are not distressed or defeated," said Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. "This is only the opening salvo in a long battle to preserve the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman — a battle we are determined to win."

Dobson said that like any great cultural clash, he is certain that morality will prevail.

"We will continue to fight for the vast majority of the American people who are overwhelmingly in favor of protecting traditional marriage," Dobson said. "Congress saw evidence of that this week when tens of thousands of FMA supporters tied up Capitol Hill phone lines for days."

Dobson said he will make it his group’s mission to let voters know how their senators voted on this crucial issue as they prepare to enter the voting booth in November.

"How marriage is defined must be a matter that the people — not tyrannical judges or rogue public officials — decide," Dobson said. "That’s why we will continue to bring the issue of marriage back to Capitol Hill until the voters’ will is heeded and why we will continue to fight in individual states for the right of citizens to define their own social policy through the legislative process."— M.F.F.

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