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Massachusetts Lawmakers Debate Banning Gay Marriage
Aired February 12, 2004 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Massachusetts politicians are holding day two of their constitutional convention today. They are settling for a compromise on the gay marriage ban.
Our David Mattingly is covering the story in Boston this morning.
Good morning.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Massachusetts legislators will be back at it in about an hour this morning, after ending the day yesterday without being able to reach a compromise on how to ban gay marriages in Massachusetts.
They came up empty-handed in what turned out to be a long and emotional day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Shouting in the streets, shouting in the hallways.
It all adds up to one pressure-filled day for Massachusetts legislators, as they try to craft a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.
DAVID FLYNN (D), MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE: It's a gut wrench. It's a gut test. I've had over 4,000 e-mails in the subject matter.
MATTINGLY: After senators followed an escort in ceremonial top hat into the House chamber, lawmakers immediately launched into a variety of amendments providing civil union protection for same-sex couples, but prohibiting marriage, defining it between one man and one woman.
HARRIETTE CHANDLER (D), MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE: I urge my colleagues to stand with me against discrimination today and to oppose this effort to amend our constitution.
MATTINGLY: Supporters, however, seem to be listening closely to the chants of people demanding a public vote, people angry over last week's ruling of the state Supreme Court, making gay marriage legal in Massachusetts beginning in May.
BRIAN LEES (R), MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE: All we are asking -- I believe the people in the hall, the people that have written letters and others who have written us, saying they would like to give the people a chance to vote. We are doing that.
MATTINGLY: But any proposed amendment to the state constitution approved here, would not appear on the ballot until late 2006, giving gay couples two years to marry legally and to continue to plead their case to voters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a basic human right to marry. It's about love. We're all living in the same state, the same country. We should have the absolute equal rights.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: Gay marriage supporters say they are encouraged today, after two measures banning gay marriage failed yesterday in the legislature. Lawmakers went into private meetings yesterday to see what they could come up with that would get a majority vote here -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And David, if they don't come up with anything, what happens then?
MATTINGLY: If they don't come up with anything, then they start back at square one, to see if there's a new proposal that could come up banning gay marriage.
Remember, the court here said that gays can start getting married in Massachusetts come May. And at that point, the legislature says they want to have something in place, at least a plan, to deal with those marriages sometime in the future.
KAGAN: David Mattingly in Boston, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 12, 2004 - 11:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Massachusetts politicians are holding day two of their constitutional convention today. They are settling for a compromise on the gay marriage ban.
Our David Mattingly is covering the story in Boston this morning.
Good morning.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Massachusetts legislators will be back at it in about an hour this morning, after ending the day yesterday without being able to reach a compromise on how to ban gay marriages in Massachusetts.
They came up empty-handed in what turned out to be a long and emotional day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Shouting in the streets, shouting in the hallways.
It all adds up to one pressure-filled day for Massachusetts legislators, as they try to craft a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.
DAVID FLYNN (D), MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE: It's a gut wrench. It's a gut test. I've had over 4,000 e-mails in the subject matter.
MATTINGLY: After senators followed an escort in ceremonial top hat into the House chamber, lawmakers immediately launched into a variety of amendments providing civil union protection for same-sex couples, but prohibiting marriage, defining it between one man and one woman.
HARRIETTE CHANDLER (D), MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE: I urge my colleagues to stand with me against discrimination today and to oppose this effort to amend our constitution.
MATTINGLY: Supporters, however, seem to be listening closely to the chants of people demanding a public vote, people angry over last week's ruling of the state Supreme Court, making gay marriage legal in Massachusetts beginning in May.
BRIAN LEES (R), MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE: All we are asking -- I believe the people in the hall, the people that have written letters and others who have written us, saying they would like to give the people a chance to vote. We are doing that.
MATTINGLY: But any proposed amendment to the state constitution approved here, would not appear on the ballot until late 2006, giving gay couples two years to marry legally and to continue to plead their case to voters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a basic human right to marry. It's about love. We're all living in the same state, the same country. We should have the absolute equal rights.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: Gay marriage supporters say they are encouraged today, after two measures banning gay marriage failed yesterday in the legislature. Lawmakers went into private meetings yesterday to see what they could come up with that would get a majority vote here -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And David, if they don't come up with anything, what happens then?
MATTINGLY: If they don't come up with anything, then they start back at square one, to see if there's a new proposal that could come up banning gay marriage.
Remember, the court here said that gays can start getting married in Massachusetts come May. And at that point, the legislature says they want to have something in place, at least a plan, to deal with those marriages sometime in the future.
KAGAN: David Mattingly in Boston, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
