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Gay Rites

Aired February 24, 2004 - 13:05   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Gay marriage advocates are bracing for the fight of their lives. Here to tell us more about that, David Buckel, senior staff attorney and marriage project director for LAMBDA Legal. He's in New York.
David, good to see you.

DAVID BUCKEL, LAMBDA MARRIAGE PROJECT: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Well, you proposed a -- or rather you say the president's proposal is a nuclear bomb. Explain that.

BUCKEL: It's a nuclear bomb for gay American families. I mean, these are hard-working, tax-paying folks who are looking to be more responsible to each other and to their children, by better sheltering their relationships through marriage. And yet today, the president of the United States is saying to them, forget about it, forget about responsibility, forget about better sheltering your families, forget about role modeling to your children, if you believe that getting married is important, in terms of conveying what your values are to your children.

This is the first time in the nation's history that the Constitution would be amended to right indiscrimination, as opposed to taking it out.

PHILLIPS: How is it discrimination?

BUCKEL: It's discrimination. If you ask any heterosexual happily married couple how they would feel if they were told one day, your marriage is void, it's over, the government won't let you marry or choose the person you want to marry any more. If people think about the reaction they would have to the government, to which they pay taxes, telling them that, they'll know what it feels like for gay Americans and why it's clearly discrimination.

PHILLIPS: So, David, what can happen to all the couples who got married in San Francisco, New Mexico?

BUCKEL: This is what's up in the air. But more broadly, what we're talking about is an issue of the leader of our country sending the message to the entire nation that there's one group of families out there that we're going to put a fence around, and we're going to say, these families are different, they're not going to be helped in terms of being more responsible to each other and their children. In fact, we're going to set them apart with a message of unworthiness, of inferiority. Their children come home and ask their parents, why aren't you married like my friend's parents, what are they to say? This is a very dangerous time.

PHILLIPS: If this does go through, would you be happy with civil unions?

BUCKEL: Well, again, if you think about heterosexual couples living out the American dream; for many, which would be, be able to call homicide and say, hey, mom, we're getting married. These couples are not ready to call home and said, hey, mom, we're getting civil unionized. Gay Americans feel the same way, those who would choose marriage. Some may not, but many would, and they don't want to call home and say, hey, mom, we're getting civil unionized. It's been marriage that's been part of the American dream for so many people in this nation.

PHILLIPS: What if it comes down to benefits, and care for children, and all the other type of assets that come with a, quote/unquote, marriage? Civil union, if you got the same benefits, would that be all right?

BUCKEL: It's still a message of inferiority, because there's a group of citizens are set apart for a different status, and that comes from the government, to which we pay taxes, saying you people, you're different, we'll try to work with you here because you're trying to make your families be in a better situation, for those of you who believe in marriage, But you're still different, and we're still going to treat you differently. That's a very destructive message for any family, especially those with children.

PHILLIPS: David Buckel, thanks for your time today.

BUCKEL: Thank you.

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 24, 2004 - 13:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Gay marriage advocates are bracing for the fight of their lives. Here to tell us more about that, David Buckel, senior staff attorney and marriage project director for LAMBDA Legal. He's in New York.
David, good to see you.

DAVID BUCKEL, LAMBDA MARRIAGE PROJECT: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Well, you proposed a -- or rather you say the president's proposal is a nuclear bomb. Explain that.

BUCKEL: It's a nuclear bomb for gay American families. I mean, these are hard-working, tax-paying folks who are looking to be more responsible to each other and to their children, by better sheltering their relationships through marriage. And yet today, the president of the United States is saying to them, forget about it, forget about responsibility, forget about better sheltering your families, forget about role modeling to your children, if you believe that getting married is important, in terms of conveying what your values are to your children.

This is the first time in the nation's history that the Constitution would be amended to right indiscrimination, as opposed to taking it out.

PHILLIPS: How is it discrimination?

BUCKEL: It's discrimination. If you ask any heterosexual happily married couple how they would feel if they were told one day, your marriage is void, it's over, the government won't let you marry or choose the person you want to marry any more. If people think about the reaction they would have to the government, to which they pay taxes, telling them that, they'll know what it feels like for gay Americans and why it's clearly discrimination.

PHILLIPS: So, David, what can happen to all the couples who got married in San Francisco, New Mexico?

BUCKEL: This is what's up in the air. But more broadly, what we're talking about is an issue of the leader of our country sending the message to the entire nation that there's one group of families out there that we're going to put a fence around, and we're going to say, these families are different, they're not going to be helped in terms of being more responsible to each other and their children. In fact, we're going to set them apart with a message of unworthiness, of inferiority. Their children come home and ask their parents, why aren't you married like my friend's parents, what are they to say? This is a very dangerous time.

PHILLIPS: If this does go through, would you be happy with civil unions?

BUCKEL: Well, again, if you think about heterosexual couples living out the American dream; for many, which would be, be able to call homicide and say, hey, mom, we're getting married. These couples are not ready to call home and said, hey, mom, we're getting civil unionized. Gay Americans feel the same way, those who would choose marriage. Some may not, but many would, and they don't want to call home and say, hey, mom, we're getting civil unionized. It's been marriage that's been part of the American dream for so many people in this nation.

PHILLIPS: What if it comes down to benefits, and care for children, and all the other type of assets that come with a, quote/unquote, marriage? Civil union, if you got the same benefits, would that be all right?

BUCKEL: It's still a message of inferiority, because there's a group of citizens are set apart for a different status, and that comes from the government, to which we pay taxes, saying you people, you're different, we'll try to work with you here because you're trying to make your families be in a better situation, for those of you who believe in marriage, But you're still different, and we're still going to treat you differently. That's a very destructive message for any family, especially those with children.

PHILLIPS: David Buckel, thanks for your time today.

BUCKEL: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com