Gay rights leaders respond to defeat of marriage ban

Immediately following the defeat of the Marriage Protection Amendment (previously named the Federal Marriage Amendment) in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, which failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to pass, a number of national gay and civil rights groups responded. The proposed amendment sought to permanently ban same-sex marriage and other forms of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples nationwide. "They're blasting the radio as they pass the gas station on an empty tank," said Cheryl Jacques, president of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign. "The Republican leadership has continued to focus on this divisive measure while critical security needs are neglected. This is a pathetic attempt to distract voters from the issues that matter." "This victory for hope over fear is yet another loss for the forces of division and intolerance," said Patrick Guerriero, executive director for the gay political group Log Cabin Republicans. "It's a stunning defeat for the radical right. This failure sends a clear message to [U.S. representatives] Marilyn Musgrave and Tom DeLay: using the politics of fear to divide America. Members of Congress should start focusing on issues that voters really care about, such as winning the war on terror, balancing the budget, and improving homeland security." "Republican leaders have shamelessly admitted that they pushed this amendment so that they could create a wedge issue to benefit their candidates in this election," said Dave Noble, executive director for the National Stonewall Democrats. "The only institution that this amendment is designed to protect is the Republican Party. While this amendment maintains drastic and practical implications, at its core it is little more than a political prank. The small minority of Democrats who could not understand that fact, and who voted for this amendment, do not deserve the support of our community." "Today's defeat for the Republican leadership prevents the defacing of the Constitution for now," said Ralph G. Neas, president of People for the American Way. "But the vote should never have been held. This vote was engineered for short-term political gain by those who care little about the long-term harm they are causing to individuals and communities. The White House and its political allies are all too willing to foment and exploit unfounded fears in hopes of distracting voters and energizing their political base. It is crass and destructive politics at its worst." "I'm delighted that it failed," said the Reverend Barry W. Lynn, executive director for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "Some religious traditions perform same-sex unions, and some do not. It's wrong for the government to favor the religious rituals of the majority over those of the minority. The only reason for this vote is to give the Christian Coalition and similar groups another line item on their biased 'voter guides.'"