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Transcript: President's Radio Address (President Bush speaks out against gay marriage)
The White House ^ | July 10, 2004 | President Bush

Posted on 07/10/2004 2:25:22 PM PDT by Stoat

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. The United States Senate this past week began an important discussion about the meaning of marriage. Senators are considering a constitutional amendment to protect the most fundamental institution of civilization, and to prevent it from being fundamentally redefined.

This difficult debate was forced upon our country by a few activist judges and local officials, who have taken it on themselves to change the meaning of marriage. In Massachusetts, four judges on the state's highest court have ordered the issuance of marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender. In San Francisco, city officials issued thousands of marriage licenses to people of the same gender, contrary to the California family code. Lawsuits in several states, including New Jersey, Florida, Nebraska, and Oregon, are also attempting to overturn the traditional definition of marriage by court order.

In 1996, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Defense of Marriage Act, and President Clinton signed it into law. That legislation defines marriage, for purposes of federal law, as a union between a man and a woman, and declares that no state is required to accept another state's definition of marriage. Yet an activist court that strikes down traditional marriage would have little problem striking down the Defense of Marriage Act. Overreaching judges could declare that all marriages recognized in Massachusetts or San Francisco be recognized as marriages everywhere else.

When judges insist on imposing their arbitrary will on the people, the only alternative left to the people is an amendment to the Constitution -- the only law a court cannot overturn. A constitutional amendment should never be undertaken lightly -- yet to defend marriage, our nation has no other choice.

A great deal is at stake in this matter. The union of a man and woman in marriage is the most enduring and important human institution, and the law can teach respect or disrespect for that institution. If our laws teach that marriage is the sacred commitment of a man and a woman, the basis of an orderly society, and the defining promise of a life, that strengthens the institution of marriage. If courts create their own arbitrary definition of marriage as a mere legal contract, and cut marriage off from its cultural, religious and natural roots, then the meaning of marriage is lost, and the institution is weakened. The Massachusetts court, for example, has called marriage "an evolving paradigm." That sends a message to the next generation that marriage has no enduring meaning, and that ages of moral teaching and human experience have nothing to teach us about this institution.

For ages, in every culture, human beings have understood that traditional marriage is critical to the well-being of families. And because families pass along values and shape character, traditional marriage is also critical to the health of society. Our policies should aim to strengthen families, not undermine them. And changing the definition of traditional marriage will undermine the family structure.

On an issue of this great significance, opinions are strong and emotions run deep. All of us have a duty to conduct this discussion with civility and decency toward one another. All people deserve to have their voices heard. And that is exactly the purpose behind the constitutional amendment process. American democracy, not court orders, should decide the future of marriage in America.

The process has now begun in the Congress. I urge members of the House and Senate to pass, and send to the states for ratification, an amendment that defines marriage in the United States as a union of a man and woman as husband and wife.

Thank you for listening.

END


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gaymarriage; homosexual; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; presidentbush; prisoners; radioaddress; samesexmarriage; transcript

1 posted on 07/10/2004 2:25:23 PM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

Very well said!


2 posted on 07/10/2004 2:58:28 PM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real political victory, take your issue to court.)
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To: Stoat

Thank you, Mr. President!


3 posted on 07/10/2004 3:00:40 PM PDT by Sister_T (Democrats AND The Partisan Press are the REAL enemies to freedom in the world!)
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To: Stoat

4 posted on 07/10/2004 3:04:14 PM PDT by traumer
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To: Stoat

Thank You, President Bush!!!!:-)




BUSH/CHENEY2004!!!!:-)


5 posted on 07/10/2004 3:04:16 PM PDT by Defender2 (Defending Our Bill of Rights, Our Constitution, Our Country and Our Freedom!!!!)
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To: Stoat
:o)
6 posted on 07/10/2004 3:06:01 PM PDT by traumer
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To: Stoat

Now that the Democratic "team" has been determined and we are on the road to the second term, I expect that we will see more conviction shown by our POTUS, even though he realizes that this takes him away from his job, he knows what must be done in an election year.


7 posted on 07/10/2004 3:11:43 PM PDT by EGPWS
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To: All

Thank You President Bush!! We here at Free Republic will do ALL WE CAN to contact our officials before that vote takes place, and ENCOURAGE THEM TO PASS IT OVERWHELMINGLY!!!!!!!


8 posted on 07/10/2004 3:17:30 PM PDT by pollywog (Psalm 121;1 I Lift mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.)
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To: traumer

I wish that you had preceded the post of your picture with a "Parental Advisory" :-)


(trying to avoid puking)


9 posted on 07/10/2004 3:18:33 PM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

sorry :o)


10 posted on 07/10/2004 3:24:31 PM PDT by traumer
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To: *Homosexual Agenda; EdReform; scripter; GrandMoM; backhoe; Yehuda; Clint N. Suhks; saradippity; ...

Homosexual Agenda Ping - here's the transcript of his talk. Sounds good to me. He always speaks kindly, without rancour. Yet he holds to the truth as well. I liked this part:

The union of a man and woman in marriage is the most enduring and important human institution, and the law can teach respect or disrespect for that institution. If our laws teach that marriage is the sacred commitment of a man and a woman, the basis of an orderly society, and the defining promise of a life, that strengthens the institution of marriage. If courts create their own arbitrary definition of marriage as a mere legal contract, and cut marriage off from its cultural, religious and natural roots, then the meaning of marriage is lost, and the institution is weakened. The Massachusetts court, for example, has called marriage "an evolving paradigm." That sends a message to the next generation that marriage has no enduring meaning, and that ages of moral teaching and human experience have nothing to teach us about this institution.

Let me know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.

PS - Any RINO Senators who vote against this should be KICKED OUT of office (not elected again, whatever).


11 posted on 07/10/2004 3:38:26 PM PDT by little jeremiah ("You're possibly the most ignorant, belligerent, and loathesome poster on FR currently." - tdadams)
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To: Stoat

The amendment is a Republican ruse. It will not prevent giving shacked-up gays all the benefits of marriage. And it is UNTRUE that a Constitutional amendment is the only way to block activist judges. Congress, by a simple majority, could prevent the Supreme Court and the Federal courts from ruling on the definition of marriage. Just as a simple majority in Congress COULD, if they wanted to, nullify Roe v. Wade and all the other abortion decisions of the USSC. They would rather pretend that the matter is out of their hands.


12 posted on 07/10/2004 3:48:17 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: All

Too bad Canada has a leader like George Bush.


13 posted on 07/10/2004 3:52:23 PM PDT by youngtory ("The tired, old, corrupt Liberal party is cornered like an angry rat"-Stephen Harper)
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To: All

Too bad Canada has no leader like George Bush.


14 posted on 07/10/2004 3:52:36 PM PDT by youngtory ("The tired, old, corrupt Liberal party is cornered like an angry rat"-Stephen Harper)
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To: All

First post was a typo. The second is what I really wanted to say.


15 posted on 07/10/2004 3:53:26 PM PDT by youngtory ("The tired, old, corrupt Liberal party is cornered like an angry rat"-Stephen Harper)
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To: Stoat
Bad news for the wannabe First Couple:


16 posted on 07/10/2004 6:50:51 PM PDT by Huck (I love the USA!)
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To: pollywog

Thank you Mr. President!

At my men's Bible study I suggested we pray for the troops. That was followed by a lenghty discussion on gay marriage (which I didn't start) and people urging others to call their Congressman/Senators!


17 posted on 07/12/2004 7:52:13 AM PDT by votelife (Calling abortion a women's issue is like calling war a men's issue!)
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