An Indiana pro-family organization is opposing a controversial "domestic partner" ordinance being pushed by homosexual activists.The plan before the Indianapolis City Council seeks to grant family-style spousal benefits to sexual partners of unmarried employees. However, Micah Clark with the American Family Association of Indiana says the government should not be encouraging or legitimizing immoral behavior.
"We're concerned about this because it sends a message that is very anti-marriage. We believe marriage should be promoted," Clark says. "The second concern is that this forces taxpayers to subsidize unmarried sexual relationships."
Tax dollars, Clark says, should not be used for those involved in living arrangements that are detrimental to society. "People who are married have lower rates of domestic violence than do cohabitating couples or homosexual couples. They're happier and have better mental health," he says.
"Women, for example, who are married have lower rates of depression and loneliness than do women who cohabitate or lesbian women," he points out. "And couples who are married have lower rates of substance abuse."
An eight-member committee of five Republicans and three Democrats is likely to vote on the bill this evening. The AFA of Indiana will testify at the hearing, and turn over hundreds of signatures petitioning the Council to oppose the plan. Bloomington is the only Indiana city to offer domestic-partner benefits for employees.
In the Capital
Meanwhile, a pro-family congressman is leading a campaign to try to reverse a new law in Washington, D.C., which gives domestic-partner benefits to District employees. Family News In Focus reports that Congressman David Vitter of Louisiana is leading a lobbying effort on Capitol Hill to get the policy changed.
"I just don't think we should allow taxpayer-sponsored health care and other benefits to go to non-married partners," Vitter says. "I think it's really part of the nationwide effort to erode the notion of the traditional family [and] to promote 'gay marriage'."
Vitter will be trying to change the law when he brings it up in the Appropriations Committee in the next month or two. He believes the vote will be a close one.
There are currently eight other states that offer domestic-partner benefits to their employees.
Posted by: \o/ Pr@izeOP
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Date Posted: July 24th, 2002
News Source:
Agape Press
