Assaults on the Rights of Children

"Conjugal View: Marriage is the union of a man and a woman who make a permanent and exclusive commitment to each other of the type that is naturally (inherently) fulfilled by bearing and rearing children together. The spouses seal (consummate) and renew their union by conjugal acts—acts that constitute the behavioral part of the process of reproduction, thus uniting them as a reproductive unit. Marriage is valuable in itself, but its inherent orientation to the bearing and rearing of children contributes to its distinctive structure, including norms of monogamy and fidelity. This link to the welfare of children also helps explain why marriage is important to the common good and why the state should recognize and regulate it" (Girgis, George, and Anderson, What is Marriage?, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Winter 2010).

In other words, children need a mom and a dad, who are married to each other:

As per yesterday's Intelligencer,

"A court hearing set for Wednesday will lead to a ruling on whether Montgomery County can continue issuing same-sex marriage licenses in spite of Pennsylvania’s gay marriage ban.

"The Corbett administration has slammed Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes as a local official flouting a state law, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health is seeking a writ of mandamus that would order him to stop....

"Pennsylvania passed its version of DOMA in 1996, prohibiting both same-sex marriages and the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states....

"Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, press secretary for Corbett’s Office of General Counsel, said the case boils down to one key question: 'Does a public official have the authority to disregard state law based on his own personal legal opinion about the constitutionality of a statute?'....

"The hearing is set to begin 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg" (Natasha Lindstrom, Judge to rule on Montco official defying gay marriage ban).

Considering what was going on inside, the scene outside the courthouse was incredibly quiet at 10:35 a.m.!

The decision from the Commonwealth Court is expected to be posted online.

And in the State House....

On 5/8/13, Bucks County Rep. Paul Clymer joined Rep. Daryl Metcalfe in introducing HB 1349, 

"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for marriage.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI: That Article I be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 29. Marriage.
Marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

As per as 7/1/13 news item on the web site of Bucks County Rep Steve Santarsiero:

"State Rep. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, today announced he will co-sponsor the Marriage Equality Bill, introduced by Reps. Brian Sims, D-Phila., and Steve McCarter, D-Montgomery/Phila.

"The bill, which mirrors S.B. 719, introduced by Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware, would eliminate the prohibition of same-sex marriages in Pennsylvania."

We need to raise our voices to show that we stand with Paul Clymer and NOT Steve Santarsiero!