Arkansas’ Marriage Amendment Still Stands Despite Oklahoma Ruling

Marriage, ,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 15, 2014

On Tuesday, a federal judge in Oklahoma struck Oklahoma’s marriage amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, calling the ban “arbitrary.”

On Wednesday Family Council President Jerry Cox issued a statement, saying, “This ruling does not affect Arkansas’ marriage amendment. Arkansas’ ban on same-sex marriage still stands.”

Cox said while the ruling is disappointing, it is not entirely surprising. “Activists have filed over a dozen lawsuits across the country challenging state marriage amendments in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s DOMA decision last summer. It is not surprising out of that many lawsuits they would find one or two federal judges willing to strike down a state marriage amendment. It’s also likely many judges will uphold these amendments as constitutional. Either way, this issue will not be settled until it makes its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Cox said contrary to what many are saying, same-sex marriage is not a forgone conclusion. “The U.S. Supreme Court signaled that state marriage laws ought to be respected when it put a stay on a federal judge’s ruling that struck Utah’s same-sex marriage ban last month. When the court struck part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act last summer, the court said states—not the federal government—define marriage. If the U.S. Supreme Court were to go a step farther and say these state marriage amendments are unconstitutional, it would effectively be saying that neither the state nor the federal government has the right to define marriage. That just wouldn’t make sense.”

Cox said he expects more rulings on state marriage amendments in the coming weeks. “Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court will address this issue. There’s no doubt about that. It will be a sad day if the Supreme Court disenfranchises millions of voters in over thirty states by striking their state marriage amendments.”

###

READ MORE

Come to the March for Life This Sunday

Abortion, , , ,

The 36th Annual March for Life will take place this Sunday, January 19, at 2:00 p.m. in Little Rock.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to join with other pro-life Arkansans by visibly supporting the sanctity of human life.

Details about the March:

  • The March will start at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
  • The March will begin at the intersection of Capitol Avenue and Wolfe Street behind the Capitol Building in Little Rock; the staging area will be on Capitol Avenue between Wolfe Street and Battery (behind the Capitol Building).
  • Reserved parking will be available on Wolfe Street for seniors, disabled, or families with small children. Additional parking will be available in the open lots from Marshall to Summit streets or in front of the Capitol Building.

For more information, check out arkansasmarchforlife.com.

We hope you will come join us as we march to end abortion.

READ MORE

Press Release: Arkansas Ranked Third Most Pro-Life State in America

Abortion, Life, , ,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 14, 2014

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – On Tuesday Americans United for Life, a leading national pro-life group, released its annual “Life List.” The group moved Arkansas from the number-four spot in 2013 to the number-three spot for 2014.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “This is something Arkansans should be proud of. Our state is the third most pro-life state in the country. That’s worth celebrating.”

Cox said the Life List considers more than laws regarding abortion. “Obviously, when people hear the words ‘pro-life,’ many think, ‘anti-abortion.’ Americans United for Life looks at much more than just that. They consider how the sick, elderly, and terminally-ill are treated in your state; what policies you have safeguarding patients; bioethics; and so on. For them to look at every law from every state and decide Arkansas is one of the top three states in the country when it comes to protecting human life says a lot about how much Arkansans value people.”

Cox noted Americans United for Life rated Arkansas an “All-Star” when it comes to protecting the lives of women and children from abortion. “Last year Arkansas passed a law requiring abortion clinic volunteers and employees to report suspected child abuse. We also passed a law ensuring a pregnant woman won’t be charged with a crime if she uses force to protect her unborn baby from an attacker. Laws like that make Arkansas a leader when it comes to protecting women and children.”

Cox says he hopes Arkansas will eventually become the most pro-life state in America. “I hear a lot of people talk about strengthening the economy right now. I think that’s great, but a strong economy doesn’t do a whole lot of good if your citizens aren’t alive and well to enjoy and contribute to it. Protecting the lives of Arkansans should always be a top priority. I’m grateful the Arkansas Legislature made it a priority in 2013, and I hope they will continue to do so in the future.”

Family Council is a conservative education and research organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

###

Click here to learn more about AUL’s Life List.

READ MORE