Bush airs opposition to same-sex ‘marriage’

Bush airs opposition to same-sex ‘marriage’

 

Addressing a growing movement for same-sex “marriage,” President Bush said July 30 he believes in the “sanctity” of traditional marriage and that government lawyers are studying ways to protect that definition by law.

Speaking to reporters at a Rose Garden news conference, Bush was asked his views on homosexuality in light of many of his supporters, as the reporters said, “believe that homosexuality is immoral.”

The president said he is “mindful that we’re all sinners” and then cautioned “those who may try to take a speck out of their neighbor’s eye when they have a log in their own.”

Bush then turned to the issue of same-sex “marriage,” which many observers believe could be thrust into the news any day if the Massachusetts high court rules that homosexuals have the right to “marry.”

“I believe in the sanctity of marriage,” he said. “I believe that marriage is between a man and woman, and I think we ought to codify that one way or the other, and we’ve got lawyers looking at the best way to do that.”

Bush did not address and was not asked about a proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would add language to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex “marriage.” In early July Bush said he was unsure if such an amendment was “necessary yet.”

But speaking July 30, Bush went a step further in explaining his views. He said “it’s very important for our society to respect each individual” and for America to be “a welcoming country.”

“On the other hand, that does not mean that somebody like me needs to compromise on an issue such as marriage,” the president said. “And that’s really where the issue is headed here in Washington, and that is the definition of marriage.”

(BP)