AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA

Resources

Home

Statement of Purpose

Current Action Alert ( sign up to receive AFA of PA Action Alerts

Pornography Fight

Pro-Life Issues

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2008
CONTACT: Diane Gramley 1.814.437.5355 or 1.814.271.9078

Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment Headed to a Full Vote in the Senate

(Harrisburg) – Today’s 18-8 vote in the Senate Appropriations Committee shows these Senators get it and recognize the importance of giving Pennsylvania voters the opportunity to vote on the definition of marriage, said the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a member of the PA 4 Marriage Coalition.

“After three sometimes contentious hearings, the chance for voters to be presented with this amendment is inching forward. Eighteen Senators have given S.B. 1250 a big boost and shown the importance of this issue. Marriage is the foundation of society and if it is further attacked and crumbles, society will crumble also,” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.

These comments pointed to the present situation in the Scandinavian countries where some form of same-sex marriage has been legal for over a decade. Out of wedlock birthrates have continually shot up since 1997 when registered partnerships were legalized. No other western European country matches this rapid rise in out- of-wedlock births.

When marriage can be whatever you want it to be, why bother, appears to be the response for many young people in the countries where same-sex marriage is legal.

Commentator Thomas Sowell said in an August 15, 2006 column entitled, “Gay ‘Marriage,’

“They (homosexual activists) argue against a "ban on gay marriage" but marriage has for centuries meant a union of a man and a woman. There is no gay marriage to ban.

Analogies with bans against interracial marriage are bogus. Race is not part of the definition of marriage. A ban on interracial marriage is a ban on the same actions otherwise permitted because of the race of the particular people involved. It is a discrimination against people, not actions.”

The Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment now goes before the full Senate for a scheduled vote tomorrow.

“Passages of this amendment is what is best for today’s Pennsylvanians and future generations. We call on the Senators who are truly concerned about all Pennsylvanians to not bow to the pressure from a small, but vocal minority who are seeking to redefine marriage and family. We are calling on them to support one man one woman marriage and vote ‘yes’ on S.B. 1250,” Gramley urged.

# # #