Gay marriage bill stalling in RI Senate after pro-family pressure

by Mass Resistance

On Thursday, Jan. 24, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed the "gay marriage" bill (H5015) by a 51-19 vote, two days after the bill was passed by the House Judiciary Committee. The move was not unexpected, given that the Speaker of the House, Gordon Fox, a Democrat, is openly homosexual and has been a champion of this bill. But the bill now moves to the Senate, where its fate is very uncertain.

MassResistance booklet part of State House debate

However, it didn't pass the House without a battle from within the Democratic Party. During the debate on the bill, there were certainly a number of pro-gay marriage speeches that day on the House floor. But the Deputy Majority Leader, Rep. Arthur Corvese, held up a photocopy of What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts before his colleagues and gave a passionate speech against the bill during the debate, warning the legislators about the unforeseen disasters that will come if it passes. Rep. Corvese did not pull his punches.
 

Rep. Corvese holds up copy of What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts during debate on floor of Rhode Island House of Representatives.

Rep. Corvese told the House of Representatives:

This is an irrevocable societal game changer…. Do you realize the enormity of the action you will be taking simply by pressing a button? … There is no one in this chamber … [or] outside this chamber … who have an inkling of where the last domino of educational, economic, social, and legal change will fall if this bill becomes law, once the activist judges, and the activist lawyers, and the activist educators, and the activist members of the gay community, and the ACLU and their pawns get done "interpreting" it.

The proponents of gay marriage tell us to look to our sister state, Massachusetts. I, too, ask you to look at Massachusetts, and when you do pick up a copy of the booklet, What Same-Sex "Marriage" Has Done to Massachusetts. [Holds up his copy] The educational, legal, and social changes described in this booklet are what is in store for Rhode Island, and they are not for the common good. There is the first reason to vote against this bill.

Now, on to the substance of the bill. … One way to know a thing is to first know what it is not. First: Gay marriage is not about love. That is the liberal fodder presented to a criminal media gristmill in an effort to lull an unsuspecting, many times disinterested, many times apathetic, but always too busy general public into believing gay marriage will not impact their marriage, their children, or the society at large . . .

See the entire House debate HERE. Rep. Corvese begins at 24:00 minutes.

Thank heaven for honest and fearless politicians like Rep. Corvese! We get the feeling that he will be very influential on this beyond the House floor. (We wish there were more Republicans like him.)

Pro-family pressure continues on Rhode Island legislature

As we recently reported, the January 15 pro-family rally which flooded the State House gave the entire Legislature a strong jolt. They felt the power of the religious community that day, particularly that of the Hispanic churches. While the House members mostly obeyed their leadership on this vote, the pro-family message certainly got through to the Senators. Senator Harold Metts, a strong pro-family advocate, even spoke at the rally.
 

The statewide group which put on the rally, Faith Alliance to Preserve the Sanctity of Marriage as Established by God, is a multi-denominational coalition that now includes over 130 religious organizations opposing the "gay marriage" bill.
 

Pro-familly Sen. Harold Metts (left) with Brian Camenker of MassResistance at State House rally.

The push continues. The Faith Alliance has continued to pressure the Legislature through media and lobbying efforts. It's one of the most energetic and well organized campaigns we've seen yet to confront a "gay marriage" bill in a state legislature.

They are even challenging the other side's supporters. We spoke to one Faith Alliance member who is arranging to meet with pro-gay marriage churches to "inform them about God's laws," and also to meet with some government officials who have supported the bill to discuss it with them.

In addition, the booklet What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts is now being distributed in Spanish (see below), and the outrage against the bill has been growing from that!
 

The Hispanic Ministers Association at their initial strategy meeting against the "gay marriage" bill. (Brian Camenker of MassResistance is 4th from right.)

Bill could easily die in the Senate

It would appear that the pro-family pressure is working.

The Rhode Island Senate has not been as monolithic in its support for this bill as the House. The Senate President is on record as opposing it, and key members of the Senate Judiciary have become very skeptical

of the bill. And the Senate has clearly taken note of the flood of outrage from pro-family Christians around the state. There's a strong sense that the bill can be stopped there.

One State House source said this week that it is unlikely that the Senate would take it up before April, if at all! The source said:

"The leaves will be on the trees before we address this. We have more important things to deal with."

We are also getting the sense that Senators are becoming angry and upset at the abuse, often graphic and disgusting, that they receive from homosexual activists when they disagree with the need for this bill, or even question it.

At this point, it looks like the pro-family side has the momentum. We'll keep you informed!