GAY MARRIAGE

The topic of gay marriage has overwhelmed the headlines of local papers and lays heavily on the social conciseness of every American for the past few weeks. The president, House of Representatives, and senate have confronted this issue head on. The president states, “Eight years ago congress passed and signed the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage in federal law as a union between one man and one woman”. The act passed the house of representative by a vote of 342 to 67, and the Senate by a vote of 85 to 14. As this issued is discussed, the president and most of the senate feel the same way, that gay marriage is morally and spiritually wrong.

        In recent months some judges and local officials have made an attempt to redefine marriage. Alan Cooperman, a writer for the Washington Post reports, “Four massachutes judges have indicated they will order the issuance of marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender in May of this year”. The ruling by the court on the Massachusetts Constitution could set new legal ground, and drew quick reaction from advocates on both sides of the issue. Massachusetts' governor immediately denounced decisions and said he would work for a constitutional amendment to overturn it. But an openly gay U.S. congressman from the state said the amendment couldn't come before the voters before 2006, and by that time same-sex marriages will be law. President Bush waded into the debate with a statement criticizing the ruling. "Marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman," he said. "Today's decision ... violates this important principle. I will work with congressional leaders and others to do what is legally necessary to defend the sanctity of marriage."         A broad array of religious groups and conservative political activists has...