Good News Tucson - A Family Values Publication

Every Vote Counts on September 4th

by Cathi Herrod

On November 4th, Arizona voters will be able to decide the future of marriage in our state. Arizonans will vote to amend our constitution to add a definition of marriage that reads:

"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."

This vote allows you – the citizens of our state – to decide the definition of marriage, not the politicians and not the judges.

Our neighbors in California have shown that having a state statute defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman (like the one we have here in Arizona) is not enough. In May, California judges redefined marriage to include same sex unions despite a statute approved by 61% of voters in 2000.

Without a constitutional amendment, Arizona is just as vulnerable as California to judges deciding what marriage means in our state. One judicial ruling can redefine the bedrock of our society with the stroke of a pen. What the California courts did to redefine California marriage law, the Arizona courts could do to redefine our state marriage laws.

There is an alarming trend in our country that families can be defined at the whim of one group’s political agenda. While individuals who engage in homosexual behavior have a right to live as they choose and can have private civil commitment ceremonies, they do not have the right to redefine marriage for our entire society. Fortunately, Arizonans have an opportunity in November to protect the timeless truth that marriage is between one man and one woman.

We are truly at a moral crossroads in our society. Will we uphold the most important institution in our society, or will we believe that the core of our culture can be changed because of the desires of a few? Will we encourage strong marriages between one man and one woman, or be a state that accepts same-sex “marriage”?

Thankfully, it will be the people, not the judges or politicians, who get to decide the future of marriage in our state. In November, voters won’t be deciding on something controversial like benefits or medical rights; the voters will decide on an issue that cuts across party lines, religious affiliations, and economic status.

Plan now to vote “yes” for marriage between one man and one woman. To learn more about how you can stand for marriage, visit www.YesforMarriage.com.

Cathy Herrod is the President of the Center for Arizona Policy. To learn more about what CAP is doing to protect family values, visit http://www.azpolicy.org/