“I am a single lesbian with no dependants and I pay at least 22,000 a year in federal taxes alone, and yet have no rights when it comes to who I want to marry. ~ Denise
Defense of Marriage Act is simply discrimination!
Discrimination is alive and well, but hopefully not for long.
Imagine this: You and your same sex Army partner of 35 years have been legally married in your state for the last ten years. You have spent a lifetime together. They die from an illness and because you are a same sex couple, you are awarded nothing. No benefits.
That’s right, same-sex spouses of military personnel are denied the same access to military bases, legal counseling, and housing allowances provided to different-sex spouses.
How about this: You and your partner have been married in your state for 2 years, a Civil Union. You are in the market for a new home. Your combined income can assure you a nice home, one that you can afford. After some shopping around, you both find one you really want. But because you are not a hetero- sexual couple, you are denied the bigger loan. Your hopes of jointly owning your dream home have now gone down the drain.
DOMA, The Defense of Marriage Act enacted in September of 1996, singles out lawfully married same-sex couples for unequal treatment under federal law, allowing states to refuse recognition of valid civil marriages and denying same-sex couples more than 1,100 federal benefits and protections. Under DOMA, no U.S. state or political subdivision is required to recognize a same-sex marriage from another state. Furthermore, DOMA’s section 3, codifies the non-recognition of same-sex marriages for all federal purposes, including insurance benefits for government employees, Social Security survivors’ benefits, immigration, and the filing of joint tax returns.
Now to refresh your memory on the Contitution of the U.S. and the Declaration of Independence:
The Constitution of the United States Article 1:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievance.”
The Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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So where in either of these documents does it say “with exceptions?” If you look at the Constitution,”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Isn’t that what DOMA represents? Laws cannot be made to support any type of religion. If your religious beliefs view marriage as between a man and a woman, then YOU live your life that way. Don’t dictate to others your religious views and put them into law. And in the Declaration, “all men are created equal and are endowed with certain rights-the pursuit of happiness.” Isn’t that what gay couples are trying to do, be happy?
Clinton who signed the bill into law in 1996 along with key legislators, have changed their views and advocated
DOMA’s repeal. The Obama Administration announced in 2011 that it had determined that section 3 was unconstitutional and, though it would continue to enforce the law, it would no longer defend it in court. In response,
the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives instructed the House General Counsel to defend the law in place of the Department of Justice. What is it with Republicans? Apparently a good majority of them feel they are better than anyone else.
DOMA is nothing more than a mean-spirited form of legislative gay-bashing. ~
Ted KennedyThe Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) repeals DOMA and restores the rights of all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples—to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. The bill also provides same-sex couples with certainty that federal benefits and protections would flow from a valid marriage celebrated in a state where such marriages are legal, even if a couple moves or travels to another state.
Because many courts have found section 3 of DOMA to be unconstitutional, The United States Supreme Court will hear the appeal of 5 cases on March 27, 2013 in Washington DC. These cases are:
- Gill v. Office of Personnel Management (12-13 as BLAG v. Gill)
- Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services (12-15 as Dept. of HHS v. Massachusetts, 12-97)
- Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management (12-16 OPM v. Golinski)
- Windsor v. United States (12-63)
- Pedersen v. Office of Personnel Management (12-231)
We urge everyone who support marriage between two people regardless of sexual orientation to come out on March 27th to Washington DC and support DOMA’s repeal!! With this repeal, then and only then will we all be created equal.
~A Les Forum
