Coalition Wants Marriage Amendment

NEW YORK (AP) -- Worried that courts might open the door to gay marriage, a coalition of religious leaders and family-policy experts wants to amend the U.S. Constitution with a declaration that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.

The Federal Marriage Amendment, to be presented Thursday at a news conference in Washington, would require ratification by both houses of Congress and the legislatures of 38 states to become law.

Gay-rights advocates describe the initiative as "gay-bashing," while its backers say the amendment would prevent judges from setting family policies that lack public support.

Matt Daniels, executive director of the Alliance for Marriage, said coalition members decided to propose the amendment because of fears that Vermont's year-old civil union law--granting marriage-like rights to same-sex couples--would spawn lawsuits nationwide by gays seeking similar rights.

"Let's challenge the homosexual movement to play fair on the playing field of democracy," Daniels said. "If they want the benefits of marriage allocated to a wider circle of groups, they need to convince the majority of people that it's the right thing."

The idea of a marriage amendment was raised in 1998 by an alliance of conservative Christian groups. Daniels' coalition doesn't include those organizations, but its 45-member advisory board has a strong religious tilt, including leaders of major black denominations, an Episcopal bishop, several Roman Catholic officials, and representatives of Jewish and Muslim groups. Its lay members include professors from Princeton University, Amherst College and the law schools of Harvard, Notre Dame and Louisiana State.

Daniels said members of Congress from both parties were prepared to support the amendment, but their names will be released later--not at Thursday's news conference. "We believe this is more important than partisan politics, so we'll announce it with no politicians at the microphone," he said.

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