Signers seek to block homosexual ‘marriage’

The first of six petition drives to block same-sex “marriage” with state constitutional amendments ends this week in Montana.

If at least 41,020 valid signatures are turned in tomorrow, Montana voters will have a chance to decide in November whether to define marriage as “the union of one man and one woman” in their state’s constitution.

The amendment, if passed, will prohibit courts from finding a “right to marry” for homosexuals, as has happened in Massachusetts.

“In Montana, we think [marriage] should be decided by folks who wear blue jeans, not folks who wear black robes,” said Montana state Rep. Jeff Laszloffy, author of the amendment.

Mr. Laszloffy, who also is president of the Montana Family Foundation, declined this week to say how many signatures have been collected. But he said, “I think we’re going to be fine.”

Similar petition drives are under way in Arkansas, Oregon, Michigan, North Dakota and Ohio. The number of signatures needed varies by state because of different laws regarding how a measure gets on a ballot.

But they all face strict timetables and opposition from homosexual rights groups that urge voters to “think before you ink” and “decline to sign.”

“If anyone approaches you to sign the petition to ban gay marriage, don’t. Don’t sign the marriage petition,” says the voice mail message for Sean Kosofsky, director of policy at Triangle Foundation in Detroit.

Homosexual rights groups said petition drives in Michigan, Oregon and Ohio are most likely to fail.

In Michigan, it was late spring before lawmakers voted against having a marriage amendment, so the petition drive got a late start, said Marlene Ewell, chairwoman of Citizens for the Protection of Marriage. It took until late May to get petition coordinators in place in 83 Michigan counties, she said.

“We’re just really kicking now,” she said.

Michigan’s 317,757 signatures are due July 5.

Arkansas’ 80,570 signatures are due July 2, as are Oregon’s 100,840 signatures. North Dakota’s 25,688 names are due Aug. 3, and Ohio has until Aug. 4 to get 322,899 signers.

Of the six petition drives, Arkansas’ appears to be in the best position.

More than 108,000 signatures have been collected, and the goal is 160,000 signatures — “double what we need,” said Chris Stewart, executive director of the Arkansas Marriage Amendment Committee in Little Rock.

Story Continues →