Three weeks after a civil unions bill was vetoed by Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, gay activists took their grievances to court.
After weeks of deliberation, the Republican governor vetoed the civil union bill, HB 444, saying the people should be the ones to decide.
Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Hawaii filed suit on behalf of six same-sex couples in the state’s First Circuit Court, claiming the state violated its own constitution, by denying same-sex couples access to all the rights and benefits of marriage.
Hawaii was the first state to pass a broad constitutional amendment to protect marriage in 1998; yet, the law does not specifically ban civil unions, which would grant all the benefits of marriage – without the name.
Same-sex couples already receive limited rights through the state’s reciprocal benefits system; however, it is not based on sexual behavior, as other unmarried individuals also benefit.
However, gay activists aren’t content and are seeking to redefine marriage through the courts.
“Gov. Lingle respected the rights of the voters, as well as the import of the issue,” said Jenny Tyree, marriage analyst for CitizenLink, “but activists are demonstrating that they see marriage as theirs to redefine, and are ignoring the thousands of children who depend on marriage to give them what they need most–their best chance for both a mother and a father.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Read, “30 Years of Research Tells Us, ‘A Child Deserves a Mother and a Father.’”
Read, “Experts Debunk Study Claiming Two Moms Better Than Mom and Dad.”
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