Senate marriage ban amendment rejected


Washington -- The Senate easily defeated for the second time in two years a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, a measure that opponents dismissed as an attempt by Republicans to excite conservatives increasingly disenchanted with President Bush and the GOP-led Congress.

Supporters countered that few issues are more urgent than protecting the bedrock institution of marriage between a man and a woman from a rewriting by the courts. Social conservatives expressed delight at Bush's ringing endorsement of the Marriage Protection Amendment on Monday despite his inattention to the issue since he last endorsed it prior to his re-election in 2004.

But a procedural vote failed to clear even a 50-vote threshold, much less the two-thirds needed to set in motion a change to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment gained just one more vote than a similar measure did two years ago despite predictions by supporters that their cause was gaining momentum and would be aided by a four-seat Republican gain in the Senate in 2004.


"We didn't get as many votes as we'd hoped," acknowledged Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.

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Macy's removes display marking local gay pride week

BOSTON --Macy's department store has altered a window display marking Boston's gay pride week after a group that opposes gay marriage complained it was offensive.

The display at the downtown Boston store featured two male mannequins, with one wearing a gay pride rainbow flag around his waist, next to a list of several planned Boston Pride Week events.

The mannequins were removed after MassResistance, formerly the Article 8 Alliance, which has campaigned against gay marriage and gay-themed textbooks in public schools, objected to the display.

The group posted pictures on its Web site and scores of its supporters complained to Macy's by phone and e-mail. A picture published in the Boston Herald showed one of the mannequins wearing a "gay pride" flag wrapped around its waist like a skirt.