Md. Marriage Ruling Could Impact 06 Election

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon05/12/120505mdMarry.htm

A proposal to ban gay marriages will be a contentious issue in the 2006 Maryland General Assembly session, but just how big an issue and how much of an impact it will have on next year's election may depend on a circuit court judge in Baltimore.

Gay rights opponents have failed in the past to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, in part because state law already defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman. Legislative leaders have been able to keep the emotionally charged issue in the background by arguing that there is no need to write into the constitution a ban on something that is already prohibited by law.

But that law has been challenged in Baltimore Circuit Court, (story) and if Judge Brooke M. Murdoch rules it's unconstitutional, opponents of gay rights say that will give them a weapon to use to force the amendment out of committees and to the House and Senate for debate.

I hate being Kobiyashi Maru'd

The right wing has repeatedly tried and failed legislatively, and has also failed to gain enough valid signatures to force a referendum. If we win the court fight, the backlash will be significant. I think we can overcome it. The GLBT community in Maryland has gotten pretty organized and we are prepared for a fight. We also have allies, and there is a vocal religious left here.