Initial post now updated to include reaction from Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT) and the Montana Family Foundation
Lawsuit to overturn MT’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage filed today in federal court in Great Falls. #mtpol #mtnews
— Mike Dennison (@mikedennison) May 21, 2014
Lawsuit challenges MT gay-marriage ban passed by voters in 2004, by 2-to-1 margin. Only 2 states with such bans now unchallenged. #mtpol
— Mike Dennison (@mikedennison) May 21, 2014
Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) sent out this prepared statement shortly after the news became public:
Bullock Statement on Rolando v State
HELENA – Governor Bullock released the following statement concerning the legal action filed today in Federal Court challenging Montana’s prohibition against marriage equality:
“Montanans cherish our freedom and recognize the individual dignity of every one of us. The time has come for our state to recognize and celebrate – not discriminate against – two people who love one another, are committed to each other, and want to spend their lives together.
I look forward to a future where all Montanans have the opportunity to marry the person they love, just as Lisa and I did almost 15 years ago. We are on the path to greater understanding and equality, and we will all be better for it.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Montana, Great Falls Division, is brought by Angela Rolando and Tonya Rolando; Chase Weinhandl and Benjamin Milano; Susan Hawthorne and Adel Johnson; and Shauna Goubeaux and Nicole Goubeaux.
Reaction from the Montana Family Foundation:
Montana Family Foundation Responds to ACLU’s challenge
To the Montana Marriage Amendment
Laurel, MT – On Wednesday May 21, the ACLU of Montana filed a federal lawsuit challenging Montana’s ban on same-sex marriage.
In 2004, voters by a 2 to 1 margin affirmed the time tested belief that marriage between a man and a woman is best for children and best for society. Statistics consistently show that children do best, by every measure, when they’re raised in an intact home with their biological parents. The bottom line is; kids need a mom and a dad and same-sex marriage by definition deems one or the other irrelevant.
In 2004, the Montana Family Foundation led the effort to pass the marriage amendment, arguably the most successful ballot initiative in Montana history. Roughly 40,000 signatures were necessary to get the amendment on the ballot, and roughly 80,000 were gathered.
Jeff Laszloffy, president of the Montana Family Foundation and author of the amendment said “The people of the state spoke clearly when they passed the amendment with almost 70% of the vote. They believe in marriage, they believe in family, and they believe that marriage between a man and a woman is what’s best for kids. Now the ACLU is asking one Federal judge to cast a super-vote and throw out the votes of almost 300,000 Montanans.”
He went on to say, “Marriage should never be treated as a politically correct social experiment. It is a vital, time tested institution, and for the sake of our kids it should be reinforced not redefined.”The Montana Family Foundation is a research, education and issue advocacy organization focused on strengthening families and protecting religious liberties.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 5:52 PM
All sex – except rape – is a Choice.
One Chooses to pursue someone else for the purposes of sex.
One Chooses the time, place, and method of sex.
One Chooses to attempt to persuade the other to engage in sex.
The other has to Choose to agree, then Choose to engage in the act.
ALL sex is a “choice”, otherwise the act of celibacy would be impossible.
Homosexuals CHOOSE their “social norms”.
They DEMAND that the rest of us ACCEPT their choice.
Then they DEMAND that WE conform to THEIR idea of what’s “normal”, and file lawsuits and get people FIRED for having beliefs that differ from theirs.
They PERSECUTE any ideals which differ from theirs.
….all the while screaming the wonders of “diversity”.
The homosexuals constitute less than 3% of the population, yet demand that everyone else believe exactly as THEY do.
WHERE is their TOLERANCE of OUR “social norms”?
…the same “norms” that have been in place for all of recorded history.
….oh, that’s right.
“Tolerance” only applies to THEM, not the vast majority of the rest of the species.