October 1. 2 QQ 4 » jU S t O U t , 5
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C o n g r e ssm a n F a v o r s
M a r r ia g e E q u a l it y
VOTE
Support your
civil rights!
—_
,
, .
NO
GOP challenger says marriage 'is not a civil right'
by M.L. Madison
v
:
V G iu n te c i S n c c c lc c l
Vancouver congressman has
joined a handful of U.S. repre
sentatives who support marriage
equality.
'
“If two consenting adults
want to get married, I don’t believe it’s the gov
ernment’s place to say they can’t,” said U.S.
Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., in an interview
with Just Out.
A former psychologist and college profes
sor, Baird, 48, is seeking a fourth term in
Congress. He said he is strongly opposed to a
constitutional amendment to ban same-sex
marriage.
“The Constitution has never in history
been amended to take away the rights of an
individual,” he said. “It’s always existed to pro
tect the rights of the people from an intrusive
government. For me, if I don’t want the gov
ernment telling me who I can live with and
love—and we’re talking consenting adults—
why would I want the government to tell U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D Wash., supports
someone else?”
same-sex marriage
Baird’s opponent, Republican Tom Crowson,
52, states on his Web site that all families, loved one in the hospital. “But that is the posi
including “the unions of two men or two women tion our state government puts people in every
with or without children...are welcome in day, and it’s wrong.”
America and should be protected by law.”
Last month, The Associated Press reported
Yet the Olympia homebuilder, who declined that a newly formed group opposed to same-sex
to speak to Just Out, has accused queers of marriage, Allies for Marriage and Children, had
“trying to destroy marriage” and supports announced a drive to add a ban on same-sex
the
Federal
Marriage
marriage to the Washington
Constitution.
Amendment.
But opponents, includ
families are entitled m he
ing openly gay state Rep.
married; Crowson states on
/ </„„ >f ¡ j g j j g ^
Ed Murray, D-Seattle, told
his Web site. Marriage is
.
.
the AP the han was
diximed to fail.
not a civil right, it should he
j
limited to a union of one
.
±L. . .
Last month, two superior
man and one woman....
court judges found Washing
This view recognizes the
-Brian Baird ton state’s Defense of Mar
historical purpose of mar
riage Act, which defines
riage as a social contract between a man and a marriage as a legal union between one man and
woman with the view towards procreation.”
one woman, unconstitutional.
Baird countered that he didn’t “in any way,
Baird said his support for minorities, “be they
shape of fonn see how gay marriage threatens” sexual minorities or ethnic minorities, is based
his marriage.
on my upbringing in church, where 1 was taught
He noted that several prominent Republi the golden mle.” He criticized “the people who
cans, including former New York City Mayor have chosen to make this a political issue.”
Rudolph Giuliani and former Speaker of the
“We have more than 1,000 soldiers dead
House Newt Gingrich,
in Iraq, we have 45 mil
lion Americans with no
“have had a host of marital
health insurance, we
difficulties” that had noth
have a $600 billion
ing to do with same-sex
deficit—and Congress of
marriage. “There are a lot
the United States is
of people in glass houses
focusing on [banning] gay
throwing stones,” he said.
marriage,” he said. “It’s
He also criticized Repub
not
going
to
put
licans for running on plat
anyone hack to work, it
forms of “less government”
won’t help anyone get
while pushing for a constitu
health insurance, and it’s
tional ban on same-sex mar
not going to balance the
riage. “You can’t on the one
budget.”
hand say you want less gov
Baird received an 83
ernment, and then ask the
percent approval rating
government to dictate who
from the Human Rights
you can marry,” he said.
Campaign during the
Baird said he thought
107th Congress (2001-
most Americans “would be
outraged" if the government Republican challenger Tom Crowson 2002) and a 100 percent
rating in the 106th Con
didn’t recognize their mar- wants a constitutional amendment
gress (1999-2000). JH
riages or let them visit a to ban same-sex marriage
w w w .n o o n 3 6 .o r g
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"¡f fWO COnSetltillCf
OdultS WOPt tO get lliamed,
it the goverppiept s place
>0 W they COP t
-m
Longtime
relationship
recognized.
m
Long-term
planning
required.
i t
F o r a c o m p lim e n ta ry i n i t i a l c o n s u lta tio n c a ll me to d ay a t
5 6 3 .9 24.1990
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