AHA Passes Resolutions;Humanists Geared Up for Struggle on Same-Sex Marriage
(Washington, DC) The Religious Right, bolstered by the bans on same-sexmarriage that passed in eleven states, plan to push the debate furtherin the next Congress. "Despite these setbacks in the struggle, now isnot the time to tolerate the withholding of equal rights on the basis ofsexual orientation," states Fred Edwords, editorial director of theAmerican Humanist Association. "It's deplorable that the Religious Right uses discrimination against601,209 same-sex families as a political weapon. It's simply inexcusableto hurt families in an effort to put one narrow religious issue in theConstitution," he adds. Karl Rove told journalists this week, when asked if politicians shouldvote against same-sex marriage bans at their own risk, "I think peoplewould be well-advised to pay attention to what the American people aresaying. This is an issue on which there is a broad consensus." Yet sixtypercent of Americans favor legalizing same-sex marriage or support civilunions. "For over six years the AHA has been pushing for equal marriage laws inall fifty states and the District of Columbia, and we won't stop untilevery state respects the rights of all Americans. As most of us knowinstinctively, sexual orientation has no bearing on depth of commitment,ability to raise children, or overall family stability. Lesbian and gaycouples deserve equal rights-not unenlightened legislation that tries totie our society to blind tradition," adds Tony Hileman, executivedirector of the AHA. The AHA passed a resolution over the weekend on sexual equality andsupport of same-sex marriage. The resolution affirms, "Intolerantattitudes, often cultivated by fundamentalist religions and puritanicalcultures, unduly repress the right of the individual to freely andunreservedly express her/his sexuality," and "prohibiting committedsame-sex partners from legal recognition of marriage infringes on humanfreedom." Please see the resolution below: AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION RESOLUTION ON SEXUAL EQUALITY AND SUPPORT OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE November 2004 ~ Albuquerque, NM Humanists are committed to values of social systems that promoteliberty, maximize individual autonomy, and ensure such rights as theright to marriage and divorce, to alternate family structures, and theright to birth control and abortion. In the area of sexuality, webelieve that intolerant attitudes, often cultivated by fundamentalistreligions and puritanical cultures, unduly repress sexual conduct.Without countenancing mindless permissiveness, a civilized societyshould be a tolerant one. WHEREAS Humanists believe in the right of the individual to freely andunreservedly express her/his sexuality; WHEREAS Humanists recognize the right of human beings to express theirsexual desires and enter into sexual relationships as they see fitregardless of sexual orientation; WHEREAS laws prohibiting committed same-sex partners from legalrecognition of marriage infringes on human freedom; WHEREAS marriage is a civil rather than a religious institution, neitherstate nor federal governments should exclude a group of people fromreceiving certain benefits, like those marriage confers, on religiousgrounds; WHEREAS a civil union does not provide the legal benefits or recognitionequivalent to marriage; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATIONrecognizes that a civil union does not guarantee sexual equality orfreedom from discrimination;WHEREAS the financial, mental, emotional, and legal security thatresults from having legally recognized parents and spouses shall beafforded regardless of sexual orientation; WHEREAS marriage has historically been a dynamic institution-racerestrictions on marital choice have been eliminated, divorce regulationshave been equalized to protect both parties, and government can nolonger intrude on sexual intimacy-affording gays and lesbians the rightwould be the next logical change;BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION reaffirmsthe validity of sexual equality and supports local, state, and federalaction to legalize same-sex marriage. ---
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