Washington State's Same Sex Debate

One of the most heated topics in our country is the debate over legalizing of same sex marriage. Regardless of which side of the line you stand on I think that a new initiative that's being proposed in Washington State is definitely getting the conversation all the more heated.

I-957 was filed by Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance "Wa-Doma" to get a discussion going when the state's Supreme Court upheld the states ban on same sex marriage last summer in the Anderson vs. King County. declared that a "legitimate state interest" allows the Legislature to limit marriage to those couples able to have and raise children together. Because of this "legitimate state interest," it is permissible to bar same-sex couples from legal marriage. If I-957 were to come to law; you would have to provide a certificate showing that both people are capable of procreating and then within three years you would need to present a child otherwise the marriage would face annulment. People who marry in another state will also be forced to show the same proof under I-957 or their marriage will not be recognized. It will be a criminal offense for anyone to receive marriage benefits without proof.

The sponsor of the same-sex marriage measure in the House, Rep. Jamie Pedersen, said he supported the effort "to draw attention to the hypocrisy of some of those who oppose marriage equality" but opposed the initiative.

"For the same reason I don't think same-sex couples should be excluded from marriage, I don't think heterosexual married couples should be forced to procreate," said Pedersen, D-Seattle.

Wa-Doma says on their website of this initiative,

"Absurd? Very. But there is a rational basis for this absurdity. By floating the initiatives, we hope to prompt discussion about the many misguided assumptions which make up the Andersen ruling." By striking down this initiative, the state Supreme Court would be defying their own ruling and therefore putting Anderson on shaky ground.

They also have plans for two other similar initiatives. The second would prohibit divorce when there are children. The third would make the act of having a child the legal equivalent of being married. They are trying to get a conversation going by showing how ridiculous it is to say that gays and lesbians can't get married on the basis that they can not procreate.

It is thought that such rulings as the one Washington state's Supreme Court handed down; are discriminatory and I-957 really drives this point home.

I have been trying to break down I-957 and look at it from all angles I think it's a very unique way of trying to get the conversation started. There is no way that this I-957 will get on the ballot, but with all the stir and advertising that the group is doing; people are surely talking. I-957 needs 224,800 signatures before July 6^th 2007 in order to be on the November ballot. I for one will be very interested to see the outcome of I-957.