Supreme Court refuses to block gay marriages in Massachusetts

The Supreme Court refused Friday to block the nation's first state-sanctioned gay marriages from taking place next week.

The justices declined without comment to intervene and block clerks from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples in Massachusetts. That state's highest court had ruled in November that the state Constitution allows gay couples to marry, and declared that the process would begin on Monday.

The Supreme Court's decision, in an emergency appeal filed Friday by gay marriage opponents, does not address the merits of the claim that the state Supreme Judicial Court overstepped its bounds with the landmark decision.


A stay had been sought by a coalition of state lawmakers and conservative activists.


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Colorado Bishop Warns Catholics

DENVER (AP) Catholics who vote for politicians in favor of abortion rights, stem-cell research, euthanasia or gay marriage may not receive Communion until they recant and repent in the confessional, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Colorado Springs said.

Bishop Michael Sheridan's pronouncement was the strongest yet from a U.S. bishop in the debate over how faith should influence Catholics in this election year.

The discussion of withholding Holy Communion had previously been limited to politicians themselves.

Sheridan made his remarks in a May 1 pastoral letter published in the diocese's newspaper. He said he singled out abortion, stem-cell research, euthanasia and gay marriage for criticism because they are "intrinsically evil."


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Alabama House Agenda Set for Monday; Quote from Christian Coalition of Alabama President John Giles

MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a quote from Christian Coalition of Alabama president John Giles on the Alabama House agenda:

"We have all worked hard to keep gambling off the calendar Monday and delighted that our commitments remain solid. It is distressing, however, to discover that the Black Caucus threatened to shut down the House Monday if the Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment was on the Calendar even though a member of the Black Caucus sponsored the legislation. We need more involvement of Black ministers in this state, the Black Caucus always votes for gambling, against pro-life legislation and now they have added protecting the gay agenda to their platform. It is puzzling why the Black Caucus wants to stand in the way of preventing gay marriages in Alabama. Early in the session the AP surveyed legislators who overwhelmingly would vote for this legislation."


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there is a SURVEY at this site... :(fill it out now!!)

"Missouri legislators have proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would effectively ban gay marriage. How would you vote on the issue?"


Missouri Voters To Decide Gay Marriage Issue

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters will decide whether a ban on same-sex marriage should be enshrined in the state constitution. In the last hour of the last day of legislative session, the state House voted Friday to put the measure before statewide voters. It passed on a 124-25 vote, after having previously cleared the Senate by a 26-6 vote.

Missouri already has a so-called defense of marriage law, but legislators are concerned that a judge could overturn the law and allow same-sex marriages.

Voters will be asked to add just one sentence to the constitution: "That to be valid and recognized in this state, a marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman."

The question would be put to voters on the November ballot unless Gov. Bob Holden decides to place it on the ballot for August's political primary elections.