News Release: Supreme Court Decision Was Not Affirmation of Same-sex Marriage

News Release
For Immediate Release:  January 19, 2011
Contact:  Diane Gramley   1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

US Supreme Court Refuses to Hear DC Same Sex Marriage Case-Congress Must Restore Black Vote

(Harrisburg) –  Homosexual activists are touting as a victory yesterday’s US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) decision not to hear Bishop Harry Jackson’s appeal in his effort to get the question of the definition of marriage before the people for a referendum vote in Washington, DC.  The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a strong supporter of the people’s right to vote on marriage protection amendments, notes this is not an affirmation of same-sex marriage, but simply SCOTUS recognizing its limitations in local election issues in the nation’s capitol.

“Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution lists exclusive legislation over the District of Columbus as one of Congress’ enumerated powers.  The Democratic Congress chose to ignore the people’s will back in 2009 when this heated debate took place and allowed the DC Council’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage go unchallenged.  Now with a more conservative Congress we hope that they will give the residents of Washington, DC an opportunity to vote on a marriage referendum,” stated Diane Gramley, President of the AFA of PA.

The supporters of same-sex marriage fear the black vote of Washington, DC.  The homosexual magazine Pride Source notes  that “Heterosexual African Americans are more likely than whites (65 percent vs. 53 percent) to oppose marriage equality for gays and lesbians. They ‘are virtually the only constituency in the country that has not become more supportive over the last dozen years…’” and that “Younger persons generally are more supportive of LGBT rights than are older persons, but significantly more black youth (55 percent) ‘believe that homosexuality is always wrong.’”

A perfect example is the vote on Proposition 8 in California in 2008 where blacks overwhelmingly voted for Barak Obama for President, yet turned around and voted against same-sex  marriage by more than 2 to 1.

Fortunately, the Constitution gives Congress the power to override the D.C. government’s decisions any time it wants.  Black voters‘ opposition to same-sex marriage is exactly why Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District’s nonvoting delegate, has called on District residents to not lobby the Hill for intervention.  She is belittling concerned citizens who may contact Congress by saying ‘no self-respecting resident of the District of Columbia would ever want to ask the Congress of the United States to overturn local laws.’

“The residents of the District of Columbia must be given the opportunity to vote on marriage.  They were denied their right to vote on this issue as outlined in the District’s charter providing for voter-initiated laws and ballot review of laws enacted by the council.  Congress must restore the black vote in Washington DC,” Gramley noted.

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