PA lawmaker vows to stop same-sex marriages
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
A state senator is introducing a measure to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Similar bills in the last two sessions of the State Legislature have failed.
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Pennsylvania banned gay marriage in 2006. But Republican State Senator John Eichelberger wants to make sure the courts don't overturn the law.
He says with Pennsylvania's no-fault divorce, marriage in the state has already been de-valued. Adding gay marriage, says Eichelberger, would put the children of those couples in the same boat as children of a divorce.
Eichelberger: With the divorce rates reaching new highs, we see that children that are raised in homes where we dont have a man and a woman in the home, those children are more apt to do things such as get involved in alcohol, drugs, violence, abuse, all those kinds of issues. It becomes a very serious societal ill.
But gay rights advocates say same-sex parents raise children just as well as a man and a woman. Amending the constitution requires approval from the House, Senate and voters.
"With the divorce rates reaching new highs, we see that children that are raised in homes where we dont have a man and a woman in the home,…"
so, is the next step to outlaw single mothers? outlaw divorce?
we don't need to take away the rights of PA citizens. equal rights and protections for all.