Reps. Matthew Hill, David Davis, and Jerome Cochran fear that unless a hetero definition of marriage is written into the constitution, the men will be forced to leave their wives and marry a gay person. At least, that appears to be their motivation. But perhaps the anxious men are merely looking for a little campaign money from Focus on the Family.
The 3 Republican State Reps. are asking people to call their lawmakers and let them know that the crucial issue of same-sex marriage is the issue that the state of Tennessee needs to be working on. Governor Bredesen appears to agree.
Hill, Davis and Cochran worry that the State Supreme Court Justices may knock Amendment 1 - the Heteros Are Best Amendment - off the November ballot. If this were to happen, Hill, Davis and Cochran would most assuredly find their marriages to be in dire peril.
Our sources say that Republican divorce lawyers are standing by.
Associated Press
SOME STATE LAWMAKERS RALLY TO PROMOTE MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (AP) - Three state lawmakers are trying to drum up support for a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Tennessee that's set to appear on the November ballot.
State Reps. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough; David Davis, R-Johnson City; and Jerome Cochran, R-Elizabethton, all spoke in favor of the amendment at a rally in Washington County on Wednesday. The state Supreme Court heard arguments the same day on whether to remove a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Tennessee from the November ballot because lawmakers didn't comply with a notification requirement.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit charging that the state failed to meet the requirements outlined in the Tennessee Constitution, which says an amendment must be published six months before the next General Assembly election.
A Davidson County judge earlier ruled that the measure defining marriage as between one man and one woman could stay on the Nov. 7 ballot. State Supreme Court justices are expected to rule on the case in the next several days. "I voted in 2004 to give Tennesseans the chance to change their constitution," Davis said. ``This is just another roadblock by the ACLU basically telling the voters of Tennessee that they shouldn't have a right to change it.
"Let's send a message to the three Tennessee Supreme Court justices who aren't retiring at the end of this term to vote on this measure by Aug. 3 or step down. We need to open up government,starting with this amendment."
Cochran and Hill echoed that sentiment and encouraged voters to call their legislators across the state to get lawmakers to voice their constituents' opinion to the state Supreme Court.
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Image seen at the Official Homophobic Panic Page.
Republicans Anxious Males Gay Politics Same-sex Marriage Homophobia Gay Marriage Bush Hate Amendment 2006 Election Amendment 1 Tennessee
