Two Activist Groups Aim to Make Same-Sex Marriage Legal in Arkansas
By:
Updated: November 16, 2012
Two activist groups say they want to make same-sex marriage the law of the land in Arkansas but a faith-based conservative political organization says that's not going to happen.
Arkansans for Equality filed its paperwork to register as a limited liability corporation with the Secretary of State's office early Friday afternoon.
"We're hoping that we can work with both sides of the political spectrum and people from all across the state," said Jennifer Steele, one of the organizers.
The battle lines in this political fight are already drawn, though.
"We'll see how big a fight it turns into," said Jerry Cox, Executive Director of the Family Council, a Little Rock based conservative group that opposes same-sex marriage.
"The last time this measure was on the ballot, 75 percent of the people said marriage should be between a man and a woman," he said.
Steele says her group has 400 members. They plan to start working on getting petitions in February.
Another group, Marriage Equality, is meeting with their attorneys next week to start crafting the language of their proposal, according to an email from that group's spokesman.
That group aims to get a proposal on the ballot by 2016.
Nine states and the District of Columbia have approved same-sex marriage. Among them: Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Washington and Vermont.
Arkansans for Equality filed its paperwork to register as a limited liability corporation with the Secretary of State's office early Friday afternoon.
"We're hoping that we can work with both sides of the political spectrum and people from all across the state," said Jennifer Steele, one of the organizers.
The battle lines in this political fight are already drawn, though.
"We'll see how big a fight it turns into," said Jerry Cox, Executive Director of the Family Council, a Little Rock based conservative group that opposes same-sex marriage.
"The last time this measure was on the ballot, 75 percent of the people said marriage should be between a man and a woman," he said.
Steele says her group has 400 members. They plan to start working on getting petitions in February.
Another group, Marriage Equality, is meeting with their attorneys next week to start crafting the language of their proposal, according to an email from that group's spokesman.
That group aims to get a proposal on the ballot by 2016.
Nine states and the District of Columbia have approved same-sex marriage. Among them: Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Washington and Vermont.
Comments
When you're sitting around your Thanksgiving meal saying grace, be sure to be thankful for the fact that if you're married in the United States your marriage will be valid no matter where you go.
And no matter what state or country you took your wedding vows in, your state and federal governments recognize it.
Unless you are gay of course.
I believe with the recent voter-approved same-gender marriage laws, comes an obligation for the federal government to recognize those unions as legitimate. Please sign and promote the petition linked to below.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/provide-level-economic-field-glbt-community-providing-federal-recognition-same-[censored]-marriages/VwK7rYqs
One thing not mentioned on the petition below is that federal recognition would allow soldiers to provide health benefits to their spouses and the children of their spouses, not to mention survivor benefits. And, it gives automatic legal standing to same-gender couples, even in states like ours that refuse to allow such marriages to take place.
Also, I encourage Republicans who support same-gender marriage to be vocal about your support, especially to your party leaders and lawmakers.
Please remember to click on the buttons below the petition also, to promote on your twitter and facebook pages.
MikeS4Chess M.
November 19, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Nothing will bring me greater joy than to serve a large helping of crow to Jerry Cox and his crowd.
Carla L.
November 16, 2012 at 10:57 pm
