From Deseret News archives:
Impact of Amendment 3 debated
In less than two weeks Utahns will vote on the proposed constitutional amendment, which would define marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman and deny that legal status to any other domestic union.
"There's enough marriage to share. Gay people will not use up all the marriage licenses," said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, who works to win marriage equality. "No one will be hurt. Marriage will be helped, and our whole community will be strengthened."
On the other side of the debate, William Duncan of the Sutherland Institute argued that the institution of marriage will be the victim if Utahns do not vote to protect it. Social signals are learned through traditional marriage and not through same-sex unions, he said.
"We risk losing an institution that binds generations," he said.
Duncan and his debate partner, Brigham Young University professor Lynn Wardle, also said the gay community was asking the government to change the definition of marriage, not just to extend marriage benefits to same-sex couples.
"A right to marry doesn't mean a right to determine what marriage means," Duncan said.
Lara Schwartz, senior counsel for the Human Rights campaign, joined Wolfson in the debate and disputed the idea that same-sex marriages would threaten the institution of marriage.
"What's at stake Nov. 2 is huge. What's not at stake is the sanctity of marriage," she said. "Same-sex couples are simply asking to enter into and honor marriage."
Wolfson added that similar battles over traditional marriage have been fought in the United States through birth control, divorce and interracial marriage. In each of those battles, he said, people worried that traditional marriage would crumble.
The real threat, Wolfson said, is to the tradition of freedom in the United States. By passing Amendment 3 and similar laws in other states, he said the nation would start a habit of using "constitutional brute force to slice people off" the list of human rights.
"It would be terrible for our country to use the government as a weapon to enforce disrespect through the law," he said. "We would be using the constitution to enforce that level of discrimination."
E-mail: estewart@desnews.com
Comments
- Phoenix vote on temple Wednesday 11:02 a.m.
- Iran whistleblower poisoned 10:58 a.m.
- Stocks waver after jobs report 10:57 a.m.
- Robotic hand controlled by thoughts 10:51 a.m.
- Tribune Co. names new CEO 10:49 a.m.
- West High evacuated by bomb threat 10:43 a.m.
- FBI: Mitchell's answers calculated 10:42 a.m.
- Woods says he let family down 10:12 a.m.
- Recount in Atlanta mayoral race 9:54 a.m.
- Jurors defend verdict in Texas 9:52 a.m.
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- Witness: Mitchell wanted attention
- Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
- BYU says Hall incident resolved
- Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
- Find joy in life, Bishop Burton says
- Utahns growing tired of Bennett
- BCS just keeps dirty laundry on spin
- Orem pair getting a rep for crime
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
909 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
483 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
404 - Max Hall issues apology
388 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
354 - Utes won't respond to Hall
276 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
241 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
166 - Religion in politics is tiresome
146 - BYU is champion of the state
144
As the TV cameras Tuesday night scanned the West Point audience during...
It sounds from the description, and well written,by the way, this young girl...
President Obama is mostly a fictional character. This is due because...
Interesting comments. My observation as a LDS convert from outside of Utah...
You are right, that person did nothing to refute the claims. And I'd be more...
they should all get together and have a beer at the white house with the...
Even though I hated that Utah lost Saturday, it was kind of nice to see that...
I always tell people to stay away from Utah. Based on the actions of...
Let him deal with it. Meanwhile, its time for the rest of us, especially...
Why can Utah fans get away with crude and offensive behavior directed towards...
We were BORN into this world with a National Debt, we'll all die with one, no...


You can be the first to comment on this story.