II. Timeline - Same-Sex Marriage - 2000 - 2003

DATE	ITEM	DESCRIPTION
2000 March 30	US rabbis approve gay partnership	"Rabbis belonging to the biggest and most liberal branch of Judaism in the United States have voted to recognize the partnerships of gay and lesbian couples. The Central Conference of American Rabbis, which is part of the Jewish Reform movement, has agreed to sanction religious ceremonies for same-sex couples. The President of the Conference, Rabbi Charles Kroloff, said that gay and lesbian people deserved the recognition and respect due to people created in the image of God. The BBC New York correspondent says the vote means that the Reform Rabbis have gone further than any other religious movement in the United States in advancing the rights of homosexual people." 3/30/00 BBC
2000 Nov. 9	Martin Luther King's widow labels sexual orientation "a fundamental human right"	Coretta Scott King, during her remarks at the Opening Plenary Session, 13th annual Creating Change conference of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Atlanta GA, stated that "Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender or ethnic discrimination." 11/9/00 Coretta Scott King
2001 March 31	Dutch gay couples wed	"Four gay couples have exchanged wedding vows in Amsterdam's City Hall under a new Dutch law that recognizes their civil marriage. The legislation grants them the same rights as heterosexual couple, including the right to adopt children. International gay rights groups have welcomed the change as a big step forward. The ceremony took place at midnight on Saturday [3/31/01] (2200 GMT), with Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen officiating at the weddings of the four same-sex couples - three male and one female. Government ministers were present and it was broadcast live on national television." 4/1/01 CNN
2003 May 21	Federal Constitutional Marriage Amendment introduced	Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-C0 4th) introduces a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States (Bill #H.J. Res. 56), which declares: "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups." 5/03 U.S. Govt. Info/Resources
2003 June 10	Ontario Canada Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage	"The highest court in Canada's largest province, Ontario, has ruled that gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry there. The ruling upholds a lower court decision and challenges the Canadian Government to change its laws on same-sex marriage. The appeals court ordered that gay couples seeking a legal union should be issued a marriage licence immediately." 6/11/03 BBC News
2003 June 18	1st same-sex union held in Latin America	"They said they wanted a simple, unfussy ceremony. No tuxedos or ballrooms, just the couple huddled at City Hall, with a few friends and relatives showering them with confetti and toasting them with champagne. The civil union yesterday [6/18/03] of Cesar Ciglutti and Marcelo Suntheim was the first legally recognized same-sex union in Latin America, conferring almost the same rights and privileges afforded to married heterosexual couples. Under the law, the two men can jointly apply for loans, health and life insurance, visit each other in the hospital or assume the responsibilities of the primary caregiver in case of illness. 'It says we are a couple,' said Ciglutti, who is president of the Homosexual Community of Argentina, an advocacy group. 'It says we are two human beings involved in a loving relationship. This law frees gay men and women to be citizens.' The municipal law is the first of its kind in a country whose social mores are deeply influenced by the values of the Roman Catholic Church. Abortion remains illegal here, and during elections earlier this year none of the five leading presidential candidates uttered a word on the topic. But passage of the civil union law in Buenos Aires last year led lawmakers in other Latin American countries -- Chile, Mexico and Brazil -- to introduce similar proposals, though none has been approved. Gay rights activists here first began pushing for the legislation two years ago, focusing first on Buenos Aires, which is known as one of South America's most urbane and sophisticated cities." 6/19/03 Washington Post
2003 June 26	U.S. Supreme Court strikes down sodomy laws	"U.S. Supreme Court [in a 6-3 decision] strikes down Texas sodomy state law banning private consensual sex between adults of the same sex. The court found that law and others like it violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. But legal analysts said the ruling enshrines for the first time a broad constitutional right to sexual privacy." 2/04 CNN
2003 July 8	British Columbia Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage	"Two men exchanged their vows at the Vancouver Law Courts Tuesday, less than an hour after the B.C. Court of Appeal officially changed the legal definition of marriage. Anthony Porcino and Tom Graff had been waiting for this day for the past seven years. They had their relationship blessed by United Church minister Tim Stevenson back in 1996. Stevenson, who is now a Vancouver city councillor, legally married the couple in the first legal same-sex marriage performed in B.C. Stevenson says he's proud to be a Canadian and a British Columbian. 'We are a country that accepts people and tolerate all kinds of people who are engaged in diversity.'" 7/9/03 CBC News
2003 July 30	U.S. President Bush announces he wants marriage reserved for heterosexuals	"President Bush indicated Wednesday [7/30/03] he opposes extending marriage rights to homosexuals, saying he believes marriage 'is between a man and a woman.' Bush said it is 'important for society to welcome each individual,' but administration lawyers are looking for some way to legally limit marriage to heterosexuals. 'I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, and I think we ought to codify that one way or another,' Bush told reporters at a White House news conference. 'And we've got lawyers looking at the best way to do that.'" 7/31/03 CNN
2003 July 31	Vatican begins campaign against same-sex marriage	"The Vatican has launched a global campaign against gay marriages, warning Catholic politicians that support of same-sex unions is 'gravely immoral.' The Vatican issued a 12-page set of guidelines with the approval of Pope John Paul II in a bid to stem the increase in laws granting legal rights to homosexual unions in Europe and North America. 'Marriage exists solely between a man and woman... Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law,' the 12-page document by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said Thursday [7/31/03]." 7/31/03 CNN
2003 Aug. 1	Constitutional ban on same-sex unions gathers sponsors	"Before the ruling [Supreme Court ruling that laws making gay sex a crime were unconstitutional], supporters in the House [U.S. House of Representatives] of a constitutional amendment that would more formally restrict marriage to the union of a man and a woman were having trouble attracting sponsors. After the ruling, the number of co-sponsors has nearly quadrupled to 75." 8/1/03 L.A. Times
2003 Aug. 18	Poll shows majority of Americans opposed to same-sex marriage	"More than half of Americans favor a law barring gay marriage and specifying wedlock be between a man and a woman, an Associated Press poll found. The survey also found presidential candidates could face a backlash if they support gay marriage or civil unions..." 8/18/03 Associated Press
2003 Sept. 19	California passes domestic partnership law	"On Friday, September 19, 2003, Governor Davis signed AB 205, The Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2003, at the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender] Center in San Francisco. This historic legislation, authored by Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by EQCA [Equality California], provides domestic partners with almost all of the same rights and responsibilities as spouses in a civil marriage." 2003 UCLA School of Law
2003 Sept. 28	Conservatives mount drive to stop same-sex marriage	"Using pulpits, petitions, and political action committees, conservative activists are mobilizing a grass-roots political movement against gay marriage that they say is more intense and urgent that their campaigns against abortion. The activists say their aims are to enact a federal constitutional amendment sanctioning only heterosexual marriage and to make 2004 candidates from the White House to state house take a stand against same-sex unions and gay rights." 9/28/03 Boston Globe
2003 Nov. 18	Massachusetts Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage	"The highest court in Massachusetts ruled [4-3] today [11/18/03] that gays have the right to marry under the state constitution, emphatically stating that the Commonwealth had failed to identify any constitutional reasons why same-sex couples could not wed. But the ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court stopped short of allowing marriage licenses to be issued to the seven gay couples who sued the state Department of Public Health in 2001 after their requests for marriage licenses were denied. The court ordered the Legislature to come up with a solution within 180 days." 11/18/03 New York Times The Family Research Council sends out a newsletter telling its adherents that the Massachusetts ruling "is THE wake-up call for both the American public and our elected officials. If we do not amend the Massachusetts State Constitution so that it explicitly protects marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and if we do not amend the U.S. Constitution with a federal marriage amendment that will protect marriage on the federal level, we will lose marriage in this nation. Marriage is about more than tax credits and other financial benefits. It is about preserving the best environment for raising children and the safest, healthiest living situation for adults. Without strong marriages as our bedrock, our nation will suffer a devastating blow. We must amend the Constitution if we are to stop a tyrannical judiciary from redefining marriage to the point of extinction." 11/18/03 Family Research Council U.S. President George Bush issues the statement: "Marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. Today's decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court violates this important principle. I will work with congressional leaders and others to do what is legally necessary to defend the sanctity of marriage." 11/18/03 White House Press Release
2003 Nov. 19	Massachusetts Governor announces push for constitutional amendment	"Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney [R] says he'll push for a constitutional amendment to block gay couples from getting married in response to a ruling by the state's highest court that could otherwise let gay couples wed. The court has ordered state lawmakers to find a remedy. 'I agree with 3,000 years of recorded history,' the Republican governor said. 'Marriage is an institution between a man and a woman ... and our constitution and laws should reflect that.'" 11/19/03 Associated Press

III. Timeline - Same-Sex Marriage - 2004 to Present

DATE	ITEM	DESCRIPTION
2004 Feb. 12	City of San Francisco begins marrying same-sex couples	"In an open challenge to California law, city authorities performed at least 15 same-sex weddings Thursday [2/12/04] and issued about a dozen more marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. By midafternoon, jubilant gay couples were lining up under City Hall's ornate gold dome and exchanging vows in two-minute ceremonies that followed one after another. 'Today a barrier to true justice has been removed,' said Gavin Newsom, newly elected mayor of the city considered the capital of gay America." 2/12/04 Associated Press
2004 Feb. 15	City of San Francisco swamped by same-sex couples seeking to marry	"Demand for same-sex marriage licenses has been so great that on Sunday [2/15/04] officials here turned away hundreds of gay and lesbian couples lined up outside City Hall, saying they simply didn't have the time or resources to meet all the requests. San Francisco authorities calculated they could process 400 licenses during special weekend hours -- but had already given numbers to 320 couples which first came Saturday to get married. After quickly distributing another 80 numbers Sunday morning, disappointed couples lined up around the block were asked to return Monday. 'We're at capacity right now,' said Mabel Teng, the official who oversees marriage licenses for city government. 'We normally do about 20-30 couples a day. We're doing about 50-60 an hour.'" 2/15/04 Associated Press
2004 Feb. 19	S.F. sues over legality of same-sex marriages -- City asks judge to rule that state's ban is discriminatory, unconstitutional	"San Francisco officials went on the attack Thursday [2/19/04] in their fight over same-sex weddings, suing the state on the grounds that laws defining marriage as between a man and woman illegally discriminate against gays and lesbians. In bringing the Superior Court suit, officials also tried to gain an edge over anti-gay marriage forces by naming as defendants the two groups that have sued the city, the Proposition 22 Legal Defense and Education Fund and Campaign for California Families. The city's suit comes as the same-sex marriage opponents head to court today trying to persuade a judge to halt the stream of gay and lesbian weddings at San Francisco City Hall. So far they've been unsuccessful in getting a judge to issue a stay." 2/20/04 S.F. Chronicle
2004 Feb. 20	California Governor wants same-sex weddings stopped	"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, facing mounting calls for action from within his own party, ordered Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Friday [2/20/04] to intervene immediately to stop San Francisco from granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. In a letter to Lockyer released just hours after a Superior Court Judge in San Francisco refused to put an immediate halt to the marriages, Schwarzenegger directed the state's top lawyer 'to take immediate steps' to obtain a court ruling that the city's actions are illegal. 'Our civilized society and legal system is based upon a respect for and adherence to the rule of law,' the governor wrote. 'The City and County of San Francisco's unfortunate choice to disregard state law and grant marriage certificates to gay couples directly undermines this fundamental guarantee. As Attorney General, you have the authority to take legal action to require the City and County of San Francisco to comply with the laws of the State. Because the City and County of San Francisco's actions are directly contrary to state law and present an imminent risk to civil order, I hereby direct you to take immediate steps to obtain a definitive judicial resolution of this controversy.'" 2/21/04 S.F. Chronicle
2004 Feb. 20	New Mexico county begins issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples	"A county clerk issued marriage licenses Friday to at least 15 gay couples, some of whom then exchanged vows outside the courthouse, as more same-sex couples lined up for a chance to tie the knot. A sign-up list at Sandoval County courthouse grew to 38 couples after county clerk Victoria Dunlap announced she would issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Dunlap said she made the decision after county attorney David Mathews said New Mexico law is unclear: New Mexico law defines marriage as a contract between contracting parties but does not mention gender. 'This has nothing to do with politics or morals,' she said. 'If there are no legal grounds that say this should be prohibited, I can't withhold it. This office won't say no until shown it's not permissible.'" 2/20/04 Associated Press
2004 Feb. 20	Cambodian king backs gay marriage	"After watching television images of gay marriages in San Francisco, the 81-year-old monarch [King Norodom Sihanouk] has decided that same-sex weddings should be allowed in Cambodia too. He expressed his views in a hand written message on his website which has proved extremely popular in Cambodia. The king said that as a 'liberal democracy', Cambodia should allow 'marriage between man and man... or between woman and woman.' He said he had respect for homosexual and lesbians and said they were as they were because God loved a 'wide range of tastes.'" 2/20/04 BBC
2004 Feb. 21	California Attorney General rejects governor's request	"State Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Saturday [2/21/04] rebuffed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's demand that he force an end to San Francisco's same-sex marriages, calling the directive political rhetoric. 'The governor can direct the Highway Patrol. He can direct the next 'Terminator 4' movie if he chooses. But he can't direct the attorney general in the way he's attempted to do,' Lockyer said, adding that Schwarzenegger's written directive [of 2/20/04] 'was a statement designed for consumption at the Republican convention.'" 2/22/04 S.F. Chronicle
2004 Feb. 23	California's attorney general seeks gay marriage ruling	"Facing increased pressure to intervene in San Francisco's same-sex marriage debate, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said he'll go directly to the state Supreme Court to try to resolve the deeply divisive issue. Lockyer said late Monday [2/23/04] that he would ask the state's highest court on Friday whether San Francisco's issuing of same-sex marriage licenses violates state law, which designates marriage as only between heterosexual couples." 2/24/04 S.F. Chronicle
2004 Feb. 24	President Bush announces support for Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage	"President Bush backed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage Tuesday [2/24/04], saying he wants to stop activist judges from changing the definition of the 'most enduring human institution.' Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural and moral roots, Bush said, urging Congress to approve such an amendment. 'After more than two centuries of American jurisprudence and millennia of human experience, a few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization,' the president said. 'Their action has created confusion on an issue that requires clarity.'" 2/24/04 Associated Press
2004 Feb. 24	Log Cabin republicans criticize President Bush’s support for constitutional amendment	The Log Cabin Republicans, a gay republican group, issues a press release stating: "'Log Cabin Republicans are more determined than ever to fight the anti-family Constitutional amendment with all our resources,' said Log Cabin Executive Director Patrick Guerriero, in response to the President’s announcement that he will push for the anti-family amendment. 'Writing discrimination into our Constitution violates conservative and Republican principles. This amendment would not strengthen marriage -- it would weaken our nation. As conservative Republicans, we are outraged that any Republican -- particularly the leader of our party and this nation -- would support any effort to use our sacred United States Constitution as a way of scoring political points in an election year,' Guerriero said." 2/24/04 Log Cabin Republicans
2004 Feb. 26	Rosie O'Donnell marries girlfriend	"Rosie O'Donnell married her longtime girlfriend Thursday [2/26/04], taking what she called a proud stand for gay civil rights in the city where more than 3,300 other same-sex couples have tied the knot since Feb. 12. 'I want to thank the city of San Francisco for this amazing stance the mayor has taken for all the people here, not just us but all the thousands and thousands of loving, law-abiding couples,' the former talk show host, holding a large bouquet, said after she and Kelli Carpenter emerged from their brief ceremony inside Mayor Gavin Newsom's office. The couple were married by Treasurer Susan Leal, one of the city's high-profile lesbian elected officials." 2/26/04 Associated Press
2004 Feb. 27	New York town of New Paltz begins marrying same-sex couples	"The same-sex marriage controversy moved to a tiny Hudson River village, where the mayor of New Paltz, New York, began performing same-sex marriages Friday [2/27/04]. Mayor Jason West said he considers it his 'moral obligation' to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. He started conducting ceremonies, the first of their kind in the state, for about a dozen couples in front of the Village Hall at noon. West said he would marry same-sex couples until 2 p.m., according to the New Paltz village Web site." 2/27/04 CNN
2004 Feb. 27	California Supreme Court refuses to stop same-sex marriages	"California's Supreme Court has rejected a request from the state's attorney general to stop gay weddings and declare invalid over 3,400 same-sex marriages. However, the court did agree to consider arguments in the court fight over the licensing of gay and lesbian unions by the city of San Francisco. Chief Justice Ronald George instead ordered the respondents who oppose the weddings to file legal briefs by next Friday, March 5." 2/28/04 CNN
2004 March 1	California governor announces on Jay Leno that he could accept gay marriage -- If voters, courts approve it, he'd have no problem with it	"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, wading even deeper into the debate over gay and lesbian unions, said he would be 'fine' with same-sex marriage if California voters approved it and proclaimed he had 'no use' for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Schwarzenegger made the comments Monday [3/1/04] on the 'Tonight Show with Jay Leno,' two days before President Bush is scheduled to arrive in California, putting the Republican governor in direct opposition to the Republican president on a divisive issue in an election year." 3/2/04 S.F. Chronicle
2004 March 2	New York town mayor charged with solemnizing marriages without a license	"The village's mayor was charged Tuesday [3/2/04] with 19 criminal counts for performing marriage ceremonies for gay couples. Jason West was charged with solemnizing marriages without a license, a misdemeanor under the domestic relations law, according to Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams. Although West could face a maximum penalty of a year in jail, Williams said a jail term wasn't being contemplated at this point. West performed wedding ceremonies for 25 gay couples Friday, making him the second mayor in the country to perform same-sex marriages. More than 3,400 couples have been married in San Francisco, California." 3/2/04 CNN
2004 March 2	U.S. Senate urged to embrace constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage	"Saying same-sex marriages are likely to spread across America like a 'wildfire,' Republican senators, including Majority Leader Bill Frist [R-TN], exhorted Congress Wednesday [3/2/04] to embrace a constitutional amendment banning them. 'We simply will not let activist judges redefine that definition of marriage,' the Tennessee Republican [Frist] told a gathering of anti-gay marriage activist. 'We will not let activist judges redefine -- I would say radically redefine -- what marriage is, and that is a union between a man and a woman.'" 3/2/04 Associated Press
2004 March 2	NAACP announces opposition to constitutional amendment	Testifying before a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing on constitutional amendment: "'The NAACP has not taken a position on gay marriages,' said Hilary Shelton, director of its Washington [NAACP] bureau. 'But the NAACP is extremely opposed to any proposal that would alter our nation's most important document for the express purpose of excluding any groups or individual from its guarantees of equal protections,' he said." 3/2/04 CNN
2004 March 3	N.Y. attorney general urges halt to same-sex marriages	"New York's attorney general urged local officials not to preside over same-sex marriages Wednesday, but he said the state's marriage law raises constitutional questions that the courts should decide. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's opinion comes as one mayor faces misdemeanor charges for officiating at same-sex weddings and a second has said he will begin performing ceremonies Thursday [3/4/04]. In a statement, Spitzer said state laws governing marriage do not authorize cities or counties to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and he urged officials to stop solemnizing such unions. But he said those provisions 'raise important constitutional questions involving the equal protection of the laws' -- questions that the courts must decide. Under state court precedent, he said, same-sex marriages and civil unions performed in other states should be recognized in New York." 3/3/04 CNN
2004 March 3	Gays wed in Portland, Oregon	"County officials began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Portland [Oregon] Wednesday [3/3/04], joining the rapidly spreading national movement that has moved from San Francisco to upstate New York." 3/3/04 Associated Press
2004 March 4	Same-sex couples turned away in New York City	"Same-sex couples lined up in the rain today [3/4/04] in New York City to apply for marriage licenses, but they were turned away in the latest round of a national debate, a day after couples in Portland, Ore., began tying the knot. Couples went to the Municipal Building in Manhattan carrying placards asking 'Marry Us,' but were handed packets explaining that the law does not allow same-sex marriages." 3/4/04 Los Angeles Times
2004 March 4	N.Y. mayor says he wants state to legalize same-sex marriages	"Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who has refused in his two years in office to disclose his personal views on gay and lesbian marriage, told 80 journalists at a lesbian and gay fund-raising dinner in Manhattan Thursday [3/4/04] night that he favored changing state law to legalize same-sex unions, four people who were there said yesterday." 3/6/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 5	Proposals to ban gay marriage advance in Wisconsin, Kansas legislatures	"Lawmakers in Wisconsin and Kansas pushed ahead Friday on efforts to amend their states' constitutions to ban gay marriage, two days after Utah's Legislature agreed to put the question to voters. The moves countered efforts elsewhere to legalize the partnerships, including nearly 3,600 same-sex marriages performed by San Francisco officials in the past three weeks. The proposal approved by the Wisconsin Assembly 68-27 would prohibit same-sex marriages and civil unions. It now goes to the state Senate. More approval from lawmakers and voters would also be required for it to become law, with a statewide referendum coming no earlier than April 2005. In Kansas, the House voted 88-36 for a proposed amendment to ban gay marriages and the granting of benefits associated with marriage to other relationships. It also advances to the Senate; if it passes there, it would only need approval from voters in November to become part of the constitution. Fourteen states are seeking this year to amend their constitutions to ban same-sex marriages. States in recent years have already acted broadly in opposition to the prospect of same-sex marriages, passing so-called Defense of Marriage laws in 38 states. And four have already amended their own constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a woman." 3/5/04 Associated Press
2004 March 5	N.Y. Mayor barred from performing same-sex marriages	"A state judge on Friday [3/5/04] barred the mayor of a college town from performing more same-sex marriages for a month, saying Jason West was ignoring his oath of office. Justice Vincent Bradley issued a temporary restraining order against the 26-year-old New Paltz mayor at the request of the Florida-based Liberty Council, which acted on behalf of a local resident." 3/5/04 Associated Press
2004 March 5	Same-sex marriage battle goes to California Supreme Court	"Opposing sides in San Francisco's same-sex marriage controversy made their final pitches to the California Supreme Court on Friday [3/5/04] as they anxiously awaited word on whether the state's top court will step in and decide the fate of gay and lesbian weddings. In briefs filed with the court, San Francisco city attorneys asked the justices to refrain from taking any action now and allow two lawsuits pending in Superior Court over San Francisco's parade of same-sex nuptials to go to trial and wind its way through the legal system. The legal maneuver was made in response to a request by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer eight days ago that the high court put a halt to the marriage procession that began Feb. 12, when Newsom ordered County Clerk Nancy Alfaro to begin issuing the licenses." [Note:The court is scheduled to meet March 17 to decide what cases to take up, although it could act on the same-sex marriage dispute before then.] S.F. Chronicle
2004 March 6	Unitarian ministers defy authorities, conduct same-sex weddings in New Paltz, NY	"Stepping in for the mayor who faces misdemeanor charges and a court injunction for solemnizing New York's first same-sex weddings last week, two Unitarian ministers defied threats of prosecution to wed 13 lesbian couples here on Saturday [3/6/04]. Under a makeshift tent on the banks of the Wallkill River, and under the watchful eye of police officers taking notes, the ministers acknowledged that they were breaking the law. A celebratory crowd of several hundred supporters blew bubbles over the newlyweds and handed out Champagne. 'I have never knowingly violated the law at any previous time in my life,' said Dawn Sangrey, the minister who leads the Fourth Unitarian Society of Westchester County. 'I am perfectly willing to face jail and fines for conducting these marriages.' Mayor Jason West said on Friday that he would not officiate at any more marriages until after a meeting next week with Eliot Spitzer, the state attorney general. The marriages conducted by the ministers and Mr. West took place without the customary marriage licenses, and will probably face court challenges. State law allows clergymen, mayors and certain other officials to officiate at weddings, but they can do so only for couples with marriage licenses. Donald A. Williams, the Ulster County district attorney, who charged Mr. West last week with 19 counts of solemnizing marriages without licenses, said he intended to prosecute anyone else who broke that law." 3/7/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 8	Seattle to Recognize Marriages by Gay City Workers	"Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels on Monday ordered the city government to recognize gay marriages performed in other states, even though Washington state law clearly prohibits same-sex marriage. 'Spouses of city employees in same-sex marriages will enjoy all of the health and insurance benefits that all opposite sex partners enjoy,' Nickels said at a news conference. Same-sex couples with marriage licenses recently issued in cities including Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco would be eligible for full benefits with no extra paperwork required to apply." 3/8/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 8	U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia's impartiality on gay rights at issue	"As the Supreme Court was weighing a landmark gay-rights case last year, Justice Antonin Scalia gave a keynote dinner speech in Philadelphia for an advocacy group waging a legal battle against gay rights. Scalia addressed the $150-a-plate dinner hosted by the Urban Family Council two months after hearing oral arguments in a challenge to a Texas law that made sex between gays a crime. A month after the dinner, he sharply dissented from the high court's decision overturning the Texas law. Scalia's appearance at the event could raise questions about his impartiality on gay issues. Scalia declined to comment on his appearance before the group. The justice's activities outside the court have drawn criticism for suggesting partiality on cases before his court. But the Philadelphia dinner May 20, unlike the other cases, shows him appearing to support partisan advocates on a hotly disputed issue." 3/8/04 L.A. Times by Richard A. Serrano and David G. Savage
2004 March 8	Lambda Legal and Northwest Women’s Law Center File Lawsuit on behalf of Lesbian and Gay Couples in Washington State	"Six same-sex couples filed a lawsuit Monday seeking the right to get married after they were refused marriage licenses by a sympathetic public official, as the mayor ordered the city to recognize the marriages of gay city employees who tie the knot elsewhere. The six couples applied for marriage licenses at the King County Administration Building but were rejected because of a state law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. County Administrator Ron Sims said he supported the couples' efforts, but had no choice but to uphold the law. `Equal protection for all under the law is the basis of our nation,' Sims said. `Every civil rights issue that we pursue and win makes us a stronger people and a stronger country.' The couples applauded Sims remarks, then went to King County Superior Court to file their lawsuit, which argues that the law violates the state Constitution's equal protection clause." 3/8/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 8	Gay Marriages begin in New Jersey	"With the blessings of family, friends and local government, a gay couple were married yesterday at Asbury Park's City Hall. It was the first government-sanctioned same-sex marriage in New Jersey. Asbury Park's mayor, Kevin Sanders, declined to perform the ceremony, but a deputy mayor leaped into the void and helped the couple tie the knot. At a 15-minute ceremony in the City Council chambers yesterday [3/8/04] afternoon, Ric Best, 44, and Louis Navarrete, 42, both in dark suits, culminated their 15-year relationship by exchanging wedding bands, one white gold, the other yellow gold. The couple, who own an antique shop in Asbury Park, planned a honeymoon in Philadelphia." 3/9/04 The Star Ledger
2004 March 8	California state Assemblywoman marries	"SAN FRANCISCO — This city once again saw the melding of the personal and political Monday [3/8/04] when state Sen. Sheila Kuehl presided over the marriages of six couples who have long been active in the gay and lesbian community, including Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg. In back-to-back ceremonies on the steps of the City Hall rotunda, Kuehl, California's first openly gay state legislator, pronounced her close friends and political colleagues married to tears and shouts of jubilation. Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) noted that the couples united in the afternoon ceremonies have been long-term partners. Among them were Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) and her partner of 28 years, poet and activist Sharon Stricker." 3/9/04 Los Angeles Times
2004 March 9	New Jersey A.G. orders halt to gay marriage licenses	"The day after New Jersey's first gay marriage was performed, the state attorney general ordered city officials to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and performing gay marriages - or face criminal charges. Attorney General Peter C. Harvey also warned officials Tuesday [3/9/04] that marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples are invalid." 3/10/04 Associated Press
2004 March 9	San Jose to recognize same-sex marriages by city employees	"The San Jose City Council voted Tuesday [3/9/04] to offer identical benefits to all married city employees, whether same-sex or heterosexual. With the 8-1 vote to honor same-sex marriage licenses issued by other communities, San Jose now offers same-sex married employees better benefits than those available under the city's domestic partnership registry, which was created in 1999. The better benefits are a recognition of the higher level of commitment implied by marriage, said David Vossbrink, spokesman for San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales. 'How can we pick and choose between legally recognized marriages?' Vossbrink said. 'People are fully able to choose what is best for their own relationship.'" 3/10/04 San Francisco Chronicle
2004 March 9	Son of same-sex marriage opponent weds partner	"David Knight, son of the state senator who was the author of the California ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage, defied his father's law and wed his partner of 10 years Tuesday in a quiet ceremony attended by just two friends in San Francisco City Hall. Atop the grand staircase of City Hall's rotunda, Knight and Joe Lazzaro of Baltimore exchanged rings and were pronounced spouses for life one month after Sen. William "Pete" Knight, R-Palmdale, proclaimed San Francisco's same- sex marriages 'nothing more than a sideshow.' The younger Knight and Lazzaro joined the growing ranks of couples -- more than 3,700 -- who have wed in San Francisco since Mayor Gavin Newsom on Feb. 12 ordered the city to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples." 3/10/04 San Francisco Chronicle
2004 March 10	Washington Post/ABC Poll show support for same-sex marriage is growing	"Public support appears to be growing for legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples, as well as for allowing states to make their own laws regulating gay marriage, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. About half the country -- 51 percent -- favors allowing gay couples to form civil unions with the same basic legal rights as married couples, up 6 percentage points in less than a month. A slightly larger majority also rejected amending the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriages in favor of allowing states to make their own laws, an increase of 8 percentage points in recent weeks. But it's too early to draw firm conclusions from these results. Polling on gay marriage has been particularly volatile. Support for giving states the right to decide on who can get married stood at 58 percent in January, dipped to 45 percent in February and now stands at 53 percent in the latest Post-ABC News poll." 3/10/04 Washington Post, By Richard Morin and Claudia Deane, Staff Writers
2004 March 10	Same-sex marriage debate moves to Tennessee	"Fresh from their wedding in San Francisco, Jason McDowell and Bill Watson requested new driver's licenses in their home state with their last names hyphenated. They were turned down. 'What difference does it make to the state of Tennessee if we want to be called McDowell-Watson?' Watson said. 'What skin is it off their nose?' Now, the two men intend to challenge Tennessee's ban on same-sex marriages. And they know Tennessee 'is going to be a tough state,' Watson said." 3/10/04 Associated Press
2004 March 11	Crowds flock to Boston Massachusetts for same-sex marriage debate	"BOSTON — From as far away as Florida and California, thousands of demonstrators converged on the Massachusetts Statehouse today [3/11/04], as legislators prepared to resume debate on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. 'I took the red-eye and arrived in Boston at 6 this morning,' said Ruben Israel of Whittier. The 42-year-old owner of a construction business mingled in a dense crowd on Beacon Street, outside the gold-domed Capitol. Supporters and foes of same-sex marriage turned the sidewalk into a shouting match, screaming epithets and slogans. Waving a poster that read 'God Abhors You' in the direction of the same-sex marriage supporters, Israel said he joined the protest because 'we don't want their sin to go to Los Angeles.' Matt Bourgault, an evangelical preacher from Tallahassee, said he has been speaking out against gay and lesbian marriage at college campuses around the country. He called same-sex marriage 'a direct, in-your-face offense to God.' Buses carrying protesters from both sides ringed the Boston Common, where revolutionaries have gathered in this city since the 18th century. Though debate inside the Statehouse was not scheduled to begin until 2 p.m. (EST), the vast underground garage beneath the common was filled by 9 a.m. Boston police officers on horseback stood poised at the corners of the common, prepared to calm the crowds if necessary. Inside the Statehouse, close to 500 same-sex marriage supporters took up positions in a broad hallway opposite the legislative chamber. Starting soon after the building opened at 8 a.m., they unleashed a deafening torrent of songs from the National Anthem to 'This Land Is Your Land.' After hopelessly deadlocking one month ago, lawmakers today [3/11/04] were scheduled to vote on a series of compromise amendments that would ban gay marriage but legalize civil union as a marriage-like alternative for gay and lesbian couples." 3/11/04 Elizabeth Mehren, Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times
2004 March 11	Calif. Supreme Court orders halt to S.F. same-sex weddings.	"The California Supreme Court today [3/11/04] ordered San Francisco officials to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the court can hold a hearing on gay marriages. The hearing would be held later this spring ... A Superior Court hearing has been scheduled for March 29. If the state Supreme Court does not intervene, a final resolution to the legal challenges could take at least a year. If the case is permitted to go to trial, San Francisco officials said in their brief, the city will present evidence that 'relegating same-sex relationships to inferior, second-class status severely stigmatizes gay men, lesbians and their families.'" 3/11/04 Mary MacVean, Times Staff Writer Los Angeles Times
2004 March 11	Massachusetts Legislature takes step towards banning gay marriage.	Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, sent its adherents a news update stating: "Yesterday [3/11/04] was a significant day in our campaign to preserve marriage. Homosexual activists gathered in the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill and spent the day repeatedly singing the 'Star Spangled Banner' and 'God Bless America'. And in the end, God did bless us yesterday by answering the prayers of literally tens of thousands of people who were praying all across the country - praying for the preservation of marriage. The result was four victories on marriage yesterday. As I mentioned in Thursday's Update, there was positive news from Portland, Oregon. Also, the Virginia State Senate passed (with a veto-proof majority) a ban on the recognition of out-of-state civil unions, and shortly after the Portland decision, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling which said that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was violating the law and must immediately stop issuing same-sex 'marriage' licenses. On the nation's opposite shore, the Massachusetts Legislature took the next step in wrestling control of this public policy issue away from unelected judges. The amendment - which gained initial approval last night - is not what we want; it prohibits homosexual "marriage" but creates civil unions. However, the fight is not over, as the Legislature will return on March 29th to take up the debate for a third time. The Legislature will then have the opportunity to vote on changes to the amendment prior to casting a final vote." 3/12/04 Family Research Council
2004 March 12	Lawsuit filed in California	"Equality California -- together with six gay and lesbian couples and Our Family Coalition -- filed a lawsuit today [3/12/04] challenging the constitutionality of California's marriage laws. The parties are being represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the ACLUs of Northern and Southern California, and Lambda Legal. Five of the six couples had appointments to obtain marriage licenses at San Francisco City Hall but their appointments were cancelled as a result of the California Supreme Court's order yesterday [3/11/04] directing San Francisco to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The lawsuit argues that denying same-sex couples the right to marry violates the California Constitution's guarantees of equality, liberty, and privacy." 3/12/04 Press Release - Equality California
2004 March 12	Oregon attorney general says same-sex marriage is illegal, but that law may be unconstitutional	"Oregon's attorney general advised county officials Friday [3/12/04] that issuing same-sex marriage licenses is against state law -- but added that the law in question may be unconstitutional. In the wake of the opinion by Attorney General Hardey Myers, [Oregon] Gov. Ted Kulongoski urged officials in Multnomah County to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the state Supreme Court can decide whether laws limiting matrimony to heterosexuals pass constitutional muster." 3/12/04 CNN
2004 March 15	Ministers charged for marrying same-sex couples	"Two Unitarian ministers were charged Monday [3/15/04] for marrying 13 same-sex couples in the upstate New York village of New Paltz. The Reverends Dawn Sangrey, 62, and Kay Greenleaf, 64, were charged with solemnizing unlicensed marriages. They could spend up to a year in prison and pay separate fines of $500 if convicted. The ministers defied threats of prosecution and conducted weddings on March 6 after the state's attorney general announced same-sex marriages were illegal in New York. Robert Gottlieb, the lawyer representing the ministers, said this may be the first time clergy has been prosecuted for marrying gay couples. Speaking before Williams' announcement of charges Monday, Greenleaf said, 'I am certainly aware that I may be incarcerated or fined for conducting these marriages but that doesn't concern me. The Unitarian Universalist movement, myself included, has been conducting same-sex weddings across the United States, including New York, for the past 35 years ... No action has been taken and no notice has been taken.'" 3/16/04 CNN
2004 March 15	Spousal Benefits for Gays at U.N. Challenged	"A bloc of more than 50 Islamic states, backed by the Vatican, sought today to halt U.N. efforts to extend spousal benefits to partners of some gay employees. The initiative came less than two months after U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan moved to award benefits to partners of gay employees who come from countries where such benefits are provided, such as Belgium and the Netherlands... The United Nations has recognized polygamy, a common practice in the Islamic world, as a legitimate form of marriage and permits employees to divide their benefits among more than one wife. But the decision to expand that right to same-sex partners has fueled intense opposition... The European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand defended Annan's decision on benefits for U.N. staffers. 'The European Union is satisfied with this practice and we see no reason why the secretary general's prerogative in this area should now be contested,' said Ireland's envoy, Margaret Stanley, speaking on behalf of the EU. But conservative critics said the secretary general's decision represents an unwelcome assault on conservative values, and they vowed to take the fight to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva in the coming weeks. 'I have no doubt there will be very strong opposition from Islamic countries, from some Latin Americans and the Vatican,' said Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, which has worked closely with the Vatican at the United Nations." 3/16/04 Washington Post
2004 March 16	Second Oregon county says gay couples can marry	"Commissioners in a second Oregon county voted Tuesday [3/16/04] to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The board of commissioners of Benton County agreed to follow in the footsteps of Multnomah County, a Benton spokeswoman said. The county's district attorney said county officials will begin distributing the licenses March 24. Benton County, about 70 miles southwest of Portland, is home to the city of Corvallis and Oregon State University. On Monday [3/15/04], county commissioners in Multnomah, Oregon's largest county, decided to continue issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, ignoring an admonition from the state's governor and attorney general to stop until the state Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of a law banning such unions." 3/17/04 CNN
2004 March 16	N.Y. Times/CBS Poll shows 59% support constitutional amendment	"By 59 percent to 35 percent, respondents said they supported a constitutional amendment that would 'allow marriage only between a man and a woman.' But 56 percent said that they did not view the issue as important enough to merit changing the nation's constitution. 'It seems like a waste of time and energy when we should be thinking about figuring out how we're going to have Social Security,' said Ronald Sharp, 44, a Republican and retired mental health care aide from Detroit." 3/16/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 17	Methodists put minister on trial for her lesbian relationship	"The Rev. Karen Dammann, a United Methodist minister, went on trial in a church here [Bothell, Washington] on Wednesday [3/17/04] for openly declaring that she is in a lesbian relationship... She is charged with violating church law by living in a homosexual relationship, which United Methodist Church law says is 'incompatible with Christian teachings.'" 3/18/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 17	San Francisco releases tally of same-sex marriages	"Gays and lesbians from 46 states and eight countries were among the 4,037 same-sex couples married in San Francisco, but most of the newlyweds were Californians living outside the city, officials here reported on Wednesday [3/17/04]. A preliminary analysis of same-sex marriage applications in the month that licenses were issued to gay and lesbian couples shows that more than 91 percent of the weddings involved California residents." 3/18/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 18	Tennessee County rescinds ban on gay residents	"In the same tense, humid courtroom where Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan battled over the teaching of evolution 79 years ago, eight county commissioners on Thursday [3/18/04] quickly rescinded an antigay motion that drew national attention — and some ridicule — to Dayton once more. The measure, which the commission had passed unanimously Tuesday night, would have banned gays and lesbians from living in Rhea County. The proposal would have allowed the county to prosecute gays and lesbians for 'crimes against nature.' The motion had been sent to the county attorney, who was directed to write a resolution that could eventually become Tennessee state law. County Atty. Gary Fritts said that the commissioners had intended, simply, to ban same-sex marriage in Rhea County. But when the wording of the motion became public, Dayton became the center of an ideological firestorm... The commission had met Tuesday [3/16/04] to discuss budget appropriations and surplus property. J.C. Fugate told his fellow commissioners that he wanted to discuss the subject of gay marriage, and dictated a motion that read, 'those kind of people cannot live in Rhea County, or abide in Rhea County; if caught, they should be tried for crimes against nature.' The effort was 'blatantly unconstitutional,' said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the Tennessee American Civil Liberties Union... 'I've seen a lot of things, but I've never heard of an effort by an elected body to try to prohibit a group of people from living in their community,' Weinberg said." 3/19/04 L.A. Times
2004 March 18	Couples marry in act of civil disobedience at N.Y. city hall.	"Three gay and lesbian couples were married in religious ceremonies on the steps of City Hall yesterday in an act of civil disobedience - and Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said he saw nothing wrong with it. The marriages were solemnized by Christian and Jewish clergy members, even though the city clerk's office had refused to issue licenses to the same-sex couples... The Brooklyn residents said they wanted the City Hall ceremony to show solidarity with the mayor of New Paltz, Jason West, who is facing charges of performing marriages for gay couples without a license, as are two Unitarian ministers... Morgenthau issued a statement saying he believed that there's been 'no definitive rulings from the courts' in New York on marriages for same-sex couples. 'The criminal courts are not the appropriate forum for the resolution of these issues . . . This office will take no action with respect to the participants in these ceremonies,' he said. Mayor Bloomberg said the ceremonies were more 'theater than anything else' and said demonstrating in Albany would be more effective if gay and lesbians want to change state law barring same-sex marriages." 3/19/04 N.Y. Post
2004 March 19	Washington Post calls Portland the U.S. "Gay-Marriage Capital"	"If Multnomah County [Oregon] commissioners have their way, the county will never stop offering licenses to gay couples. Although state Attorney General Hardy Myers has said that denying marriage licenses to gay couples is consistent with state law, he also said the state law likely violates the Oregon constitution. And that, Multnomah County board Chairwoman Diane Linn said the other day, means that the county must continue to issue the licenses or face costly discrimination lawsuits... [F]or now, Portland is the nation's gay-marriage capital. Kathy Tuneberg, the tax collection and records manager for Multnomah County, who is also in charge of issuing marriage licenses, said that as of Thursday afternoon, her office had issued 2,350 licenses to same-sex couples since it began March 3. 'We've done a third of what we would normally do in a year in seven days,' Tuneberg said. 'And while we don't keep track of this, we've gotten calls from couples from all over the country -- Florida, New York -- and now, California.'" 3/19/04 Washington Post
2004 March 19	Quebec ruling paves way for gay marriages	"Homosexuals have the right to wed, Quebec's top court said Friday [3/19/04], making it the third Canadian province to allow same-sex marriage. The Quebec Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court ruling that the traditional definition of marriage is discriminatory and unjustified. Same-sex marriages already have been declared legal by provincial courts in Ontario and British Columbia. The three provinces represent a total of some 70 percent of Canada's 32 million people. Canada's Supreme Court has been asked to clarify the constitutionality of gay marriage in a nonbinding ruling due next year, and Prime Minister Paul Martin has promised to introduce a bill to legalize it." 3/19/04 CNN
2004 March 20	Methodist Jury Acquits Gay Pastor	"After a three-day trial, a jury of fellow ministers acquitted an Ellensburg, Wash., pastor of violating United Methodist Church law by living openly as a lesbian, saying the church has not clearly declared homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teaching..." "Under church rules, a conviction requires at least nine votes, or two-thirds of the 13 jurors. Eleven jurors voted not guilty, and two were undecided. In a written statement, the jury said it reached its decision 'after many hours of painful and prayerful deliberation and listening for and to the word of God.' Although it found Dammann to be a 'self-avowed practicing homosexual,' the jury said it did not have 'clear and convincing evidence' that she was guilty of the charge of 'practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings.' "'We searched the discipline and did not find a declaration that 'The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,'' the jury said. 'We did see in the discipline many declarative statements. An example is: 'Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the church, the community and the world. Thus, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination...''" "As a result, the jury had to weigh a series of carefully balanced phrases in the church's legal code, the fruit of many hard-won legislative compromises. On one hand, the church's Book of Discipline says that because 'the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve' as pastors. On the other hand, it also says that sexuality is 'God's good gift to all persons,' that homosexuals 'are individuals of sacred worth,' that 'God's grace is available to all,' and that 'certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons.'" 3/21/04 Washington Post
2004 March 20	Same-sex weddings continue in New Paltz, N.Y.	"Six ministers of the Unitarian Universalist Church performed marriage ceremonies for 25 same-sex couples Saturday [3/20/04], defying prosecutors who view the practice as illegal. The weddings, which the ministers consider to be legal unions, thus raising the ire of prosecutors, were held at a New Paltz bed and breakfast. There were no arrests and only one person showed up across the street from the inn to protest, said James Fallarino, a spokesman for the ceremony organizers. The Revs. Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey were scheduled to be arraigned Monday on misdemeanor charges for allegedly solemnizing marriages of same-sex couples who have no civil marriage license. Greenleaf was among those performing ceremonies Saturday." 3/21/04 Associated Press & CNN
2004 March 22	Wording of same-sex marriage ban revised	"Key backers of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage said yesterday [3/22/04] that they are rewording the two-sentence text to clarify that it would allow states to establish civil unions or other partnership arrangements for same-sex couples..." "Some legal scholars had argued that the original wording could tie the hands of legislatures as well as judges. The changes are designed to make clear that states 'truly have the option of dealing with civil unions,' as long as they are established legislatively and not by judicial fiat, [Sen. Wayne] Allard [R-Colo.] said..." "The new text says: 'Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.' In the original text, the first sentence was the same. But the second sentence had said: 'Neither this constitution or the constitution of any state, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.' [Matt Daniels, president of the Alliance for Marriage] said the deletion of the words 'nor state or federal law' would eliminate the possibility, cited by some constitutional scholars, that a future court could cite the amendment as the basis for refusing to enforce a civil union law." 3/23/04 Washington Post "...the revisions quickly drew criticism as a gay rights group said it left the status of civil unions uncertain and a conservative group said it went too far in recognizing such unions. 'They are using that as a selling point; we find it as a detriment,' said Robert H. Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute, which is affiliated with Concerned Women for America, a conservative group. 'Why is that a good thing, when civil unions are gay marriage by another name and will lead to the destruction of marriage?' Winnie Stachelberg, political director for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group, said, 'I don't think what Musgrave and Allard are trying to achieve here is any more clear today than yesterday.'" 3/23/04 N.Y. Times
2004 March 22	Black Pastors Rally Against Gay Marriage in Atlanta	"More than two dozen black pastors added their voice to the critics of same-sex marriage, attempting to distance the civil rights struggle from the gay rights movement and defending marriage as a union between a man and a woman. 'When a homosexual compares himself to the black community, he doesn't know what suffering is,' said the Rev. Clarence James, an African-American studies professor at Temple University. Jones and 29 pastors rallied late Monday [3/22/04] with their supporters at an Atlanta-area church where they signed a declaration outlining their beliefs on marriage and religion." 3/23/04 Associated Press
2004 March 23	Oregon county bans all marriage	"In a new twist in the battle over same-sex marriage roiling the United States, a county in Oregon has banned all marriages -- gay and heterosexual -- until the state decides who can and who cannot wed. The last marriage licenses were handed out in Benton County at 4 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. EST) Tuesday [3/23/04]. As of Wednesday, officials in the county of 79,000 people will begin telling couples applying for licenses to go elsewhere until the gay marriage debate is settled. 'It may seem odd,' Benton County Commissioner Linda Modrell told Reuters in a telephone interview, but 'we need to treat everyone in our county equally.' State Attorney General Hardy Myers said in a statement that he was 'very pleased' with Benton County's decision. 'It is my sincere hope that the legal process will provide clarity for each of Oregon's counties.'" 3/4/04 Reuters
2004 March 23	Lawmakers, Experts Split on Gay Marriage Ban	"Experts and lawmakers differed sharply in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee today [3/23/04] over the proposition that the institution of marriage is under judicial assault and can only be preserved through a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage."