Whither Marriage?

Perhaps to wither:

Back in 2000, 70 percent of Nebraskans expressed the desire that marriage remain between one man and one woman. A single judge decided he knew better.

While this is not the first time a judge has sought to redefine marriage against the people's will, this is the first time a state constitutional amendment has been struck down. It was the supposed strength of these state amendments to which many politicians alluded when they falsely claimed that a federal marriage amendment was unnecessary. Senator John McCain called an amendment un-Republican because it imposes a federal remedy for a problem that most states do not believe confronts them. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid stressed that he "believe[s] in the sanctity of marriage" but that, "before we tinker with our most cherished rights, we should allow the states to deal with this issue..."

The Nebraska judge's decision is irrefutable proof that those who say marriage can be handled state by state are categorically wrong. Such assertions ignore the reality that federal judges have signaled unequivocally that they will not allow the people to decide for themselves. This reality was not lost on Democratic Senator Ben Nelson who recently told Focus on the Family's Jim Dobson that he now supports a federal marriage amendment. The Nebraska senator reevaluated his position, which previously endorsed state-level protections, in light of the Nebraska judge's unprecedented ruling.

It is also clear that the United States Supreme Court will not allow the definition of marriage to remain a state issue. Through Doe v. Bolton and Roe v. Wade (abortion), Griswold v. Connecticut (contraception), and, more recently, Lawrence v. Texas (sodomy) the high court has demonstrated that it will have the final word on the most crucial issues in the culture war.

Make no mistake: the definition of marriage in America is a zero-sum affair that will be decided at the federal level. Either activist courts will foist same-sex marriage upon an unwilling nation, or the people will protect it through a federal marriage amendment.

There are many things too important to leave to black-robed dimwits. Marriage, the fundamental building block of human society, is one of these.

If only we had a Gitmo location where we could ensure the sanctity of marriage in America.