The gay political
group Log Cabin Republicans on Monday applauded first
lady Laura Bush for speaking out against a proposed federal
constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, scheduled
for a Senate vote the week of June 5. Laura Bush said
on Fox News Sunday that the amendment shouldn't
be used as a campaign tool.
"The first
lady understands what most Americans and a growing number of
conservatives understand," said Log Cabin president
Patrick Guerriero. "With a global war on
terror and American troops in harm's way, with
reconstruction efforts along the Gulf Coast, with a
national debate over border security and immigration and a
host of other critical issues facing us, writing
discrimination into the U.S. Constitution shouldn't be
a priority."
A recent poll
conducted for the Human Rights Campaign by Peter D. Hart
Research Associates shows that most Americans
agree. The poll shows that 49% of Americans think
that marriage should continue to be a matter for the
states to decide. Only 33% think that an amendment to
the Constitution should decide the issue.
The same proposed
amendment failed in the Senate and House of
Representatives last year. "The American people
are clearly against this," said Guerriero.
"Every day more principled conservatives speak out
against it. It already failed once. There is no good
reason that this issue is before Congress."
(The Advocate)
