TVC Chairman Louis Sheldon Condemns Ruling Sanctioning Homosexual Marriages in California

Anaheim, California —“The decision issued by Judge Richard Kramer striking the voter-approved Proposition 22 and allowing homosexual marriages is yet another example of judicial tyranny and makes it clearer than ever that California needs a constitutional amendment to protect marriage as a union of one man and one woman,” said the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, Chairman and Founder of Traditional Values Coalition.

Earlier today, March 14, 2005, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer issued his ruling on marriage. In his 27-page decision, Kramer stated: “This court concludes that…Family Code sections 300 and 308.5 violate the equal protection clause of the California Constitution.” Kramer’s ruling strikes down the language from Family Code section 308.5, which is the voter-approved initiative, Prop. 22, passed in March 2000 with 61.4% of the vote, that stated, “Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid or recognized in California.” Kramer went on to further state that tradition and procreation are not just grounds to prevent homosexual marriages.

“Marriage is a social institution which is the bedrock of society—and the judicial system should never dictate social policies. This should be left to the state legislatures and the U.S. Congress,” said Sheldon.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed in the state challenging the current definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman and counter lawsuits followed suit as well. Kramer’s decision comes after the California Supreme Court ruled in August 2004 that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom violated state law by issuing over 4,000 marriage licenses to homosexual couples in February 2004.

“Maybe this decision will serve as a wake-up call to California citizens to get behind our proposed constitutional amendments that ban homosexual marriages, civil unions, and any other fake marriage arrangements,” said Sheldon.

Traditional Values Coalition and legislators in the state Senate and Assembly have proposed ACA 3 and SCA 1, which are identical amendments to protect marriage from being redefined by activist judges. Both amendments state:

“Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California whether contracted in this state or elsewhere.” “The rights, responsibilities, benefits, and obligations of a marriage shall only be granted, bestowed and conferred upon a man and a woman joined in a valid marriage and may not be conferred upon any other union or partnership.”

TVC’s Legislative Analyst and Lobbyist Benjamin Lopez, who is directly working with legislators to pass ACA 3 and SCA 1 stated, “Judge Kramer’s ruling proves that Prop 22 alone will not protect the institution of marriage as we know it. There must be an amendment defining marriage for one man and one woman only cemented into the constitution to end this debate once and for all.”

www.traditionalvalues.org