Gay marriage fight heating up
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-02-06 09:45

Wednesday, the US's high court clarified its ruling, saying that only full and equal marriage rights for gay couples would satisfy a November decision, rather than civil unions.

A couple kiss during a rally for gay marriage rights. [AFP]

As a result, NewsCenter 5's David Boeri reported, groups on both sides of the issue were converging at the State House where opponents were preparing for a Constitutional Convention scheduled for next week where they will work on an amendment banning gay marriage that would go to a ballot in 2006.

They are also talking about legislative options that would either reverse the SJC decision, or delay its implementation so long that voters will be able to override it in two years.

Speaker of the House Tom Finneran, a staunch opponent, said gay marriages present the spectre of legal chaos.

"There's certainly that possibility, if you have gay and lesbian couples presenting themselves from the middle of May, until the voters have a chance to speak sometime in the fall of 2006, I think it creates an awful lot of potential of confusion," Finneran said.

His legislative options are narrow, but he and fellow opponents want to delay implementation. Senate President Robert Travaglini, who will preside over next week's constitutional convention, would not talk about his strategy.

"Well, we spoke with our colleagues ... and we have nothing more to report at this point ..." he said.

Gov. Mitt Romney said in the Wall Street Journal, "Amending the Constitution may be the best and most reliable way to prevent such confusion and preserve the institution of marriage."

"In something so important as this, we really should hear directly from the people and not be directed simply by the judiciary," said Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy.

Proponents of gay marriage, however, said it was a civil rights issue.

"Civil rights should never go to a ballot. The civil rights of any demographic group should never be the stuff of a ballot. This country was founded on the notion that the tyranny of the majority should never be able to take away the rights of a minority -- any minority," said Arlene Issacson, of the Gay And Lesbian Political Caucus.

She compared the fight over gay marriage to laws that outlawed interracial marriage in the south.

Members of various religious groups, such as the Religious Coalition for Freedom to Marry, also showed up at the State House to make their opinions heard.

"Marriage is not about gender, but about loving and nurturing relationships," said Rabbi Devon Lerner.

Opponentss of gay marriage claim that they have the 101 votes needed to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot in two years.