Texas Campaign Warns Against Couples Rights Restrictions

Ray Buffington, Editor-in-Chief

When any type of tragedy occurs in the United States, the attention of every American is drawn toward that certain event, their patriotism seizing their hearts and compelling them to help out the cause.

While the damage that Hurricane Katrina has created in Louisiana deserves the attention and support from those who care, people must not let the evil creature known as politics have an opportunity to slip out from under their radar and create its own type of destruction without their knowledge or awareness.

Currently, the Texas Legislature is considering a proposed Texas Constitutional Amendment that would deny all rights such as medical decisions, inheritance, property, and parental duties to any common-law marriage, civil marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership. Any kind of relationship that is not between a man and a woman, or not “valid” with a marriage certificate, would be considered null, and those involved will not be able to experience the privileges and basic rights of married couples.

The proposed amendment states, “The constitutional amendment providing that marriage in this state consists only of the union of one man and one woman and prohibiting this state or a political subdivision of this state from creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage.”

The Texas Constitution already states that civil marriages between same sex couples are prohibited in the state, and civil marriages and civil unions from other states and countries will not be not recognized. This amendment will have a major affect mainly for those who are in common-law marriages, giving them the same rights homosexual couples in Texas have. None.

There are many groups parading around Texas who are for this proposed amendment. To rally support, they pin the amendment on the homosexuals, claiming that this amendment’s sole purpose is to keep the gays from having any kind of marital or marital-like rights. They don’t point out that the amendment will also put a damper on heterosexual common-law marriage rights.

No Nonsense in November, or NNIN, a campaign group residing in Austin, is against the Texas Constitutional Amendment, and is currently traveling around Texas, spreading the word about what some consider to be the amendment’s hidden agenda.

Elizabeth Brenner, the state field director for NNIN, came to Lubbock’s Metropolitan Community Church on Aug. 26 to inform the locals of the amendment’s true nature and to try and rally more support to vote against the proposed legislation.

“It’s completely unnecessary,” Brenner stated when asked how she felt about the proposal. “It’s going to hurt a lot of people. Not just gays and lesbians, but heterosexuals too”.

During the meeting, Brenner explained that if this proposed amendment passed, it would be the first time the Bill of Rights was used negatively in Texas.  She talked about how it would be “denying basic rights” of being an American citizen.

Her main concern was the protection of parental rights of gays, lesbians, and even those in common-law marriages.

“Even if you don’t support same sex marriage, you support the protection of your family,” Brenner said.

Brenner pointed out that the highest voter turn out in Texas was in 2003 for the Tort Reform. A total of 144,024 voters had been registered, but only 17,352 voted, only 12 percent.

To defeat this proposed amendment, Brenner informed the viewers at the meeting that they needed 8,700 votes. She said that was not a devastating total, but not an easy number to reach either.

“The most important thing is to vote,” Brenner stated at the end of the heated, adrenaline-filled meeting.

For those who are not currently registered to vote, the last day to do so is Oct. 9.  The day to vote against, or for the amendment is on Nov. 8. For more information, you can visit NNIN’s website at www.NoNonsenseInNovember.com, or call (512)443-2019.