Marriage is the Foundation for Family Restoration – Now in 40 states

New York state lawmakers recently voted to uphold marriage. Even though New York’s Governor and top executive leaders have ordered that the State recognize same sex unions from sister states and foreign jurisdictions, state legislators voted their consciences on December 2 – making the count 40 states that do not endorse same sex unions in their statutory family law codes, according to the Reuters news service (see below. Marriage is a critical foundation to the concept of family restoration in America.

The vote of 38-24 honored marriage as a stabilizing factor to New York families, understanding that the State of New York has a legitimate interest in the rational relationship between marriage and the general welfare of the state. Reuters also reminded readers that Maine voters repealed a law established by that state’s legislative body just a month ago that expanded marriage to same sex unions.

The New York Times (see article here) noted the importance of this vote in that unlike Maine, New York does not have a referendum process whereby the people can overturn legislation. That being key, the emotional drama that surrounded the moments leading up to the vote was nonetheless moving, and the Times remarked that the vote did not fall into any sort of political pattern whatsoever.

Though Americans appreciate emotional bonds people may feel toward one another, the rule of law is a different matter. The law does not legislate emotion and commitment, but rather merely considers minimum elements that offer societal stability. The connection between the stability of a state marriage sanction based on generativity and the welfare of that state is clearly visible to Americans, and fosters the restoration of the family as the basic social unit.

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New York state lawmakers vote against gay marriage
Wed, Dec 2 2009
NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - New York state lawmakers voted against legalizing gay marriage on Wednesday, dashing hopes of gay rights activists that it would become the sixth U.S. state to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The New York state senate voted down the legislation 38 votes to 24.
Governor David Paterson, a Democrat who supports gay marriage, had said he would sign the bill into law if it were passed.

Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont have legalized gay marriage, while 40 U.S. states have specific laws that ban gay marriage. Last month voters in Maine chose to repeal a law that had legalized gay marriage. (Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Sandra Maler) ((nyc.buro@reuters.com, +1 646 223 6280))