Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who championed Texas’ constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, doesn’t seem overly concerned about the Supreme Court’s decision to take a case that has the potential to strike down the amendment.
Elected officials in Texas have been silent thus far about the U.S. Supreme Court’s announcement today that it will take up two same-sex marriage cases — one challenging California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and the other challenging the Defense of Marriage Act’s prohibition on federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
If the high court were to issue a broad ruling declaring California’s Prop 8 unconstitutional, it could have implications for Texas’ amendment banning same-sex marriage. But strangely, as far as we can tell, the biggest supporters of the amendment — who include Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and Attorney General Greg Abbott — haven’t said a word about today’s announcement, not even on Twitter.
In fact, the only Texas-based groups who’ve issued statements are the LGBT direct action group GetEQUAL TX and the anti-gay group Texas Values (the Liberty Institute).
“We are happy that the Supreme Court has decided to hear cases on marriage,” said Michael Diviesti, state lead organizer for GetEQUAL TX. “But this movement is about more than marriage. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth makes up 40 percent of the homeless youth population. There are no state or federal laws protecting Texans from being fired solely because of our sexual orientation or gender identity. Statistically, transgender people have a one in 11 chance of being murdered rather than living out their full lives. … We must continue to demand the full equality that is our right as humans.”
In a blog post, Texas Values acknowledges the potential impact of the Prop 8 case on the Lone Star State:
If the Court strikes down the right of the people to define marriage as one man, one woman, it would affect every state’s right to approve such a definition, one which is currently found in the Texas Constitution.
Texas Values President and Attorney Jonathan Saenz released the following statement:
“The U.S. Supreme Court has an opportunity to put this issue to rest once and for all, and that’s what we expect them to do, in favor of traditional marriage. The definition of marriage is between one man and one woman. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is there a prohibition against the people defining marriage as between a man and a woman. If the Court strikes down the only definition of marriage, it will be the most obvious and egregious example of judicial activism that we have ever seen since Roe v. Wade.”
The only reader comment below the Texas Values post states: “It’s about time someone up there got some common sense. I hope it works.”
Yeah, us too!
