Capitol marriage debate draws crowd

By BRANDI GRISSOMAssociated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) — Lawmakers seeking a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage reminded Brian Boyko of seventh-grade bullies who terrorized him for being a “geek.”

“The only way it would enforce marriage is by making gay people feel lousy,” said the University of Texas at Austin graduate student.

Boyko was among hundreds who streamed into the Senate chambers Thursday, spending hours lobbying a committee of lawmakers for and against adding the ban to the state constitution.

“It's important to protect the institution of marriage as it has been defined for thousands and thousands of years all across the globe by all societies,” said Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine, who sponsored the legislation along with Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa.

Texas law already prohibits same-sex marriages. The legislation would allow voters to decide whether to safeguard that law from judicial challenges by amending the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The ban, which was approved last month in the House with a 101-29 vote, needs approval from 21 of 31 senators and a majority of Texas voters.

It could face more hurdles after an expected committee vote Friday, though. Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, has said he has enough support to block the legislation from a full Senate debate.

Supporters of the legislation, who showed up in force Thursday after a dismal showing at last month's House public hearing on the issue, said safeguarding the traditional institution of marriage from judicial challenge is vital for the state.

“(Straight marriage) is the model that has been proven successful throughout the ages,” said Dianne Hensley of Concerned Women for America and Texas. She told the committee she worried for children in unstable homes where homosexual parents might transmit diseases to them.

Kelly Shackelford, of the Liberty Legal Institute, said the institution of marriage is under attack nationwide from court rulings that allow same-sex marriage.

“Judges all over the country are doing an end run on the people and forcing their views on the people of the United States,” he said.

Gay and lesbian rights advocates have criticized the marriage ban, saying lawmakers ought to focus on building up Texas families rather than discriminating against the state's 43,000 gay couples.

Karen Langsley, a lesbian and lawyer from Dripping Springs, told legislators she would prefer they spend their time deciding how to fund public education for her two children.

“This is purely, purely a discriminatory constitutional amendment,” Langsley said, her 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son by her side.

If the amendment is approved by voters, Texas would join 14 states that statutorily and constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.

Nationally, President Bush supports conservative advocacy groups calling for congressional approval of a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.