April 8th, 2013
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) suggests that if states offered civil unions to same-sex couples, that would put an end to the marriage equality debate and let him keep DOMA:
I’ll say this, I do believe this could be solved greatly by a civil-union law that would give gay people the same rights as married people,” said Hatch, who mentioned hospital visitations and tax benefits. “I think we can solve this problem without undermining the very basis of marital law in our country.”
It looks like someone has decided to jump on board the last decade’s bandwagon.
Latest Posts
Featured Reports
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
Gene in L.A.
April 8th, 2013
I remain uncomprehending of these people who say they’re accepting of allowing gay couples all the same rights, but who stop at allowing the use of the word marriage. Everything else being equal, what is preserved by withholding of the word? I wish one of them would plainly explain their reasoning. Also, I’ve come to realize wishing doesn’t do much good.
Priya Lynn
April 8th, 2013
Right Gene. If they were sincere about wanting gay couples to have all the rights of marriage they’d have no problem with giving them the name as well. They don’t want to give them the name “marriage” because they know it isn’t the same, it isn’t as good without the name. There’d be no need to call it something different if it wasn’t different.
Matt
April 8th, 2013
Senator Hatch should ask Vermont how that worked out…
jOHN
April 8th, 2013
Sounds like he knows he is on the loosing side of history but trying to keep face until he is 6 feet under!
There will be marriage for all and some are just looking to stall the progress.
Lindoro Almaviva
April 9th, 2013
Someone has not read brown vs. board of educations. The self entitlement of these new “whites” astonishes.
Timothy Kincaid
April 9th, 2013
Poor Senator Hatch. He’s one if those Mormon Republicans who really do want to kinda sorta be a nice guy if you squint sideways. His inner cranky old man is at war with his desire that everyone be happy.
I’ll give him this: he has at times voted our way. And truly support of civil unions is a far cry from many people on the right.
But after a month of cascading torrents of support for equality, this is kinda sad. If only he’d manage to mumble this two years ago he could maybe be a kinda sorta hero. Now it just sounds desperate.
So thank you Senator Hatch. Now move along.
Hunter
April 9th, 2013
Timothy — you’ve got it right: it’s a desperation move, about two years too late. It’s the sort of thing NOM and the Catholic hierarchy do when they’re losing.
It’s really a shame — twenty years ago, Hatch was on the verge of being a statesman. Now he’s just a dinosaur.
Shannon Spencer Fox
April 9th, 2013
I presume that it still maintains the supposed ‘sanctity’ of the institution, as if people like Brittney ‘Married For About 12 Hours’ Spears and Newt ‘Serial Adulterer’ don’t exist.
Not the least of which is, as Lindoro pointed out, setting up ‘civil unions’ with all the (supposed) rights of marriage, almost the exact definition of ‘separate but equal’… which has already been struck down by the Supreme Court.
Perhaps the most annoying part of all, though, is the fact that this specific concept (allowing for civil unions with ‘all the rights’) has already been done and proven to not work. I imagine I’m not the only one who remembers when New Jersey first tried civil unions, then did a study and found that… big surprise, that things weren’t equal, because everyone recognized what a married couple were, but didn’t have any rules about a ‘civil union’ couple.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recognition_of_same-sex_unions_in_New_Jersey#Same-sex_marriage
Shannon Spencer Fox
April 9th, 2013
… And I forgot to add Gingrich to that first paragraph there… in case anyone somehow didn’t know who I was talking about. ;)
johnson
April 9th, 2013
Definitely a desperate Face-saving move before he fades into the sunset
cowboy
April 9th, 2013
Sen. Hatch is the consummate politician.
His posturing for some sort of legacy will be tempered by this little faux pas on a radio talk-show.
He’s not going to run again for Senator so I can only speculate he is gunning for some Mormon job/calling from his Prophet when he’s finished with politics.
Ned Flaherty
April 9th, 2013
What Hatch is proposing nationally is exactly what the Mormon and Roman Catholic churches do globally.
Since 2003, the Vatican has demanded that local church officials actively campaign for civil unions whenever that would prevent passage of a full equality law, which is what the church did in NH, ME, RI, WA, Argentina, Australia, Austria, England, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, and Wales.
Since 2003, the Vatican has demanded that all Catholic politicians “support proposals aimed at limiting the harm done†by proposed pro-equality legislation.
When civil union is proposed in a last-minute campaign by Mormon/Catholic clergy, it’s nothing but a Trojan Horse antidote against full equality.
Source: “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons,†2003, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI), approved by Pope John Paul II.
Mark F.
April 9th, 2013
It does seem really silly to fight over a word, and churches can still perform their own marriage ceremonies. I give Mr. Hatch one tenth of a cheer, however.
San Diego Rob
April 9th, 2013
So ah Orin, how are those Civil Unions working out in your state?
Oh wait, your own state hasn’t even granted them. And don’t most states who have passed constitutional amendments even not allow Civil Unions since cause it kinda looks like a marriage?
Leave A Comment