Message from Senator Bob Bennett re: Traditional Marriage

"Few issues are as divisive and as emotionally charged as the fight over traditional marriage. It’s very difficult to keep the fight from becoming personal, and it becomes all too easy to demonize the people who disagree with you.

Unfortunately, this kind of animosity is not unique to the debate over marriage. Indeed, the fight over abortion has escalated beyond harsh words to violence and bloodshed, and we’re no closer to finding a resolution to that issue than we were almost four decades ago, when the Supreme Court lifted the abortion debate out of the legislative arena entirely with their disastrous decision in Roe v. Wade.

I’m firmly convinced that one of the reasons the abortion debate remains so toxic is that the voters were denied the ability to have their voices heard. By stifling the democratic process and “settling” the abortion issue by judicial fiat, the Supreme Court made the problem far worse. Yes, democracy is messy and difficult, but the best way to settle messy and difficult issues is to ultimately let the people decide.

The people were wrongly denied the right to vote on abortion. They should not be denied the right to vote on the definition of marriage.

The District of Columbia City Council disagrees. They passed a measure that denies the citizens of Washington D.C. the right to define marriage, which is consistent with the way this issue has been raised across the country. In every case where traditional marriage has been redefined, it has happened because a small group of people feels justified in making radical decisions about the fundamental institutions of our society.

Marriage is too important. The people need to decide.

That’s why I’ve introduced legislation in the United States Senate called the District of Columbia Referendum on Marriage Act that would require the District to put this matter to a vote. I’m also grateful to Representative Jason Chaffetz, who introduced this measure in the House of Representatives.

I’m under no illusions that a referendum will produce unanimity, or that the fight on both sides of the marriage debate will end anytime soon. But the fact remains that you don’t do democracy any favors when you try to smooth out its rougher edges.

On a matter as basic and fundamental as marriage, it’s essential that the people get to decide."

Sincerely,

Senator Bob Bennett
Bennett for U.S. Senate