No discrimination in the Constitution.  

Massachusetts lawmakers are deciding whether or not to disrespect the Goodridge marriage equality decision, put civil rights up for a popular vote,
and write anti-gay discrimination into the Constitution.

Anti-gay political organizations and politicians have proposed amending the Constitution of Massachusetts Constitution to forever deny the rights and protections of marriage to gay and lesbian couples and their children. These anti-gay extremists say their goal is to simply “define marriage as the union of a man and a woman.” This is intentionally misleading.

In fact, the intent and effect of this anti-gay amendment is to deny basic rights and protections under the law to gay and lesbian Americans. Denying marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples deprives them – and their children – of more than 1,000 protections and benefits under the law. The effort in Massachusetts is part of a national campaign by anti-gay political organizations to amend state constitutions – and the U.S. Constitution – to deny marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples

A vote to put the anti-gay amendment on the ballot is a vote to write discrimination into the Constitution.

The anti-gay constitutional amendment:

• Denies marriage rights to devoted couples. The anti-gay constitutional amendment does not defend marriage, it denies marriage rights to loving, committed couples.
  
  
• Leaves children vulnerable. Thousands of children are being raised by gay and lesbian parents in Massachusetts. Denying these parents the rights and protections of marriage leaves their children vulnerable.
  
  
• Writes discrimination into our Constitution. The Constitution is supposed to protect and ensure equal treatment for ALL people – it should not be used to single out a group of people for different treatment. The anti-gay amendment discriminates against a group of Massachusetts citizens by denying them the rights and protections of marriage.
  
  
• Creates second-class citizens. The Massachusetts Constitution affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals. It forbids the creation of second-class citizens. Amending the Constitution to treat gay and lesbian citizens differently is discrimination. And so is the creation of so-called “civil unions,” a separate, inferior, less-than-marriage legal status for same-sex couples only. Civil unions offer just one-quarter of the rights, protections, and duties of a real marriage license. Segregation was an ugly, failed, unAmerican policy with respect to race – and it will be remembered as that with respect to sexual orientation, as well.
  
  

Putting people’s human rights on the ballot is the first step to writing discrimination into the Constitution. Putting people’s rights to a vote goes against everything our Constitution, Commonwealth and country stand for. Legislators must reject any attempt to amend the Constitution to deny rights to gay and lesbian citizens.