Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Libertarian Party of Virginia Supports Marriage Equality:
Urges the U.S. Supreme Court to Overturn both DOMA and CA Prop 8
(FAIRFAX) – The Libertarian Party of Virginia (LPVA) strongly supports
marriage equality.
National LP platform (1.3 Personal Relationships):
Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have
no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in
current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military
service laws. Government does not have the authority to define, license
or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be free to
choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships.
Chuck Moulton, LPVA chairman, exclaims “The Libertarian Party already
demanded marriage equality in its platform 30 years ago – while the big
debate in this country was over gay imprisonment! In contrast the
Democratic Party only added a marriage equality plank in 2012.”
“Democrat Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into
law,” Moulton notes, “and banned openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual
persons from military service with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT).
Democrats are late to the parade... Libertarians advocated for gay
rights long before it was popular.”
The 2012 Libertarian Party candidate for President, Governor Gary
Johnson, signed on to an amicus curiae brief for the American Foundation
for Equal Rights in support of overturning California Prop. 8.
Although Libertarians would prefer government out of marriage entirely,
if the state issues marriage licenses, then it must issue them to all
loving couples regardless of sexual orientation. Lindsey Bolton, a LP
candidate for VA HoD (48 – Arlington area) and a tax attorney, observes
“Marriage is a fundamental right under the 14th amendment recognized by
the U.S. Supreme Court in past precedents such as Loving v. Virginia.”
(Many Libertarian legal scholars believe marriage belongs under the
umbrella of unenumerated rights guaranteed by the 9th amendment.)
Bolton continues, “The Constitution doesn't grant or create rights; it
recognizes and protects rights that inherently exist. Marriage is one
such right.”
Jonathan Parrish, a LP candidate for VA HoD (23 – Lynchburg), clarifies,
“The Libertarian Party's view on same sex marriage is like our view on
anything else: what you do in your home is your business.”
Justices are likely to draw heavily from the precedent Loving v.
Virginia for both cases currently before the U.S. Supreme Court: United
States v. Windsor (a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act) and
Hollingsworth v. Perry (a challenge to California Proposition 8). In
Loving, Mildred Loving (a black woman) and Richard Loving (a white man)
violated Virginia's anti‐miscegenation statute, the Racial Integrity Act
of 1924, by marrying each other. The 1967 unanimous decision recognized
a fundamental right to marriage and ended all race‐based legal
restrictions on marriage in the United States.
The Racial Integrity Act of 1924 (in part):
5. It shall hereafter be unlawful for any white person in this State to
marry any save a white person, or a person with no other admixture of
blood than white and American Indian.
Laura Delhomme, a LP candidate for VA HoD (47 – Arlington area) and
Virginia director of Outright Libertarians (a LP caucus advocating for
LGBTQ issues), remarks “We all should be embarrassed that interracial
marriage was still prohibited 50 years ago – and Virginia was so
committed to that backwards position that it asked the U.S. Supreme
Court to sanction its bigotry.” Delhomme puts Virginia’s gay marriage
ban in the same category, continuing “The 2006 Marshall‐Newman Amendment
to the Virginia Constitution, which excludes homosexual and lesbian
couples from the definition of marriage, is just as stupid. Virginia is
on the wrong side of history. 50 years from now our grandchildren will
look back on this same‐sex marriage prohibition and think we were nuts!!”
Virginia Constitution §15‐A. Marriage (Marshall‐Newman Amendment,
ratified 11/7/2006, in part):
That only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid
in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.
Libertarians support marriage equality both in Virginia and nationwide.
Robert Sarvis, a LP candidate for Governor, declares “I am campaigning
to repeal the state constitutional ban on gay marriage and recognize
same‐sex marriages from other states.”
Virginia’s antiquated puritan streak isn’t limited to oppression on the
basis of race and sexual orientation. Even straight couples aren’t safe
from the nanny state that believes government should dictate your
personal choices. Until February 20 of this year, cohabitation by
unmarried couples – or simply extramarital sex – was a misdemeanor (1st
offense: $500, 2nd offense: $2,500 + 1 year in jail).
If you believe your personal relationships should be your choice without
government interference, vote for Libertarian Party candidates. “I can’t
believe [gay marriage] is even a question up for discussion,” Laura
Delhomme summed it up, “Let’s bring marriage equality to Virginia!”
###
http://lpva.com/Archives/MediaReleases/LPVA-MediaRelease-2013-03-27-GayMarriageCases-FINAL.pdf
Questions about the Libertarian Party of Virginia's position on marriage
equality may be directed to:
LPVA chairman
Chuck Moulton
215-768-6812
ch...@lpva.com
VA Governor candidate
Rob Sarvis
571-499-4015
robert.c.sar...@gmail.com
VA HoD (23) candidate
Jonathan Parrish
parrishfordeleg...@gmail.com
VA HoD (47) candidate
Laura Delhomme
571-249-4613
laurafordeleg...@gmail.com
VA HoD (48) candidate
Lindsey Bolton
boltonforvirgi...@gmail.com
#############################################################
Have an announcement you'd like to post? SCC members & many
committee heads are all authorized to post; or you may send
your announcements to the List Master: <webmas...@lpva.com>
<mailto:webmas...@lpva.com?subject=Announcement>.
#############################################################
Unsubscribe: Send an email to sts...@lpva.com with no subject
and "Unsubscribe Announce" as the text.
#############################################################
Libertarian Party of Virginia http://www.LPVA.com
Phone: 703-715-6230
#############################################################
Want to see past messages? Check the Archive:
http://www.Mail-Archive.com/announce@lpva.com/
#############################################################
