‘The purpose of the initiative is to prevent the state from taking the position that there’s no difference between homosexual and heterosexual relationships.’
Protect Marriage Washington will find out Tuesday if it has the 120,000-plus signatures it needs to place Referendum 71 on the November ballot. The measure would repeal a domestic-partnership law that mirrors marriage.
Joseph Backholm, executive director of the Family Policy Institute in Washington state, said they need about 6,000 more signatures verified by Tuesday.
“At this point,” he said, “it is very likely that it will be on the ballot.”
The current law grants special rights to gay partners, all of which are available under other statutes.
Backholm said Ref. 71 is vital to maintaining the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
“The purpose of the initiative,” he said, “is to prevent the state from taking the position that there’s no difference between homosexual and heterosexual relationships.”
Gay activists have filed a lawsuit challenging the signature-verification process. They’ve also succeeded in getting the names of petition-signers released to the public.
Dr. Ken Hutcherson, senior pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Wash., said he has already heard stories of harassment.
“People (were) standing next to them when they (were) trying to gather signatures,” he said. “Some are name-calling; some are shouting threats.”
Still, marriage supporters remain steadfast.
“God allowed a miracle to happen within 50 days to get those signatures,” Hutcherson said. “It’s impossible for us to lose because God asked us to fight because it’s right, not because we’re going to win.”
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Learn more about God’s design for the sexes on the Homosexuality and Gender page of our Web site.
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