(Columbus, OH, November 30, 2004) – Lambda Legal Defense Fund announced yesterday that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case from right-wing anti-gay groups challenging a Massachusetts state law that allows same-sex couples to marry. “This is another step in the right direction to turn back the national gay discrimination movement by the Religious Right,” said Kate Anderson, Executive Director of the Columbus-based gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organization. “We were all hoping that the U.S. Supreme Court would not act on this attempt by the right -wing to undermine the constitutional protections for all citizens.
What the vast majority of people in the United States are witnessing is that same-gender marriage is not harming anyone but is simply providing equal rights and protections for gay families. Same-gender marriage has not changed the divorce rate in Massachusetts which remains the lowest in the country. “While Ohioans rushed to the polls to vote for Issue One, the new Ohio state constitution amendment banning the rights of unmarried people, the U.S. Supreme Court was deciding that the religious right’s arguments or fear tactics are not valid,” stated Ms. Anderson. “What we now have, thanks to the efforts of religious zealots, like Phil Burress, is now Ohio has been branded as a state that embraces discrimination. That is definitely the wrong message.”
