U.S. House Speaker Disappointing Traditional Marriage Advocates

Written by Chad Groening

An Ohio-based pro-family activist is disappointed that House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is refusing to take a stand for traditional marriage.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced that it will hear cases from four states that have statutes that only permit marriage between one man and one woman. The high court is expected to decide whether laws can limit marriage to one man and one woman and whether states are legally required to recognize same-sex unions from other states.

Boehner was recently asked about the Supreme Court taking up the marriage issue and said, “I don’t expect that we’re going to weigh in on this. The court will make its decision, and that’s why they’re there — to be the highest court in the land.”

Phil Burress, who lives in Boehner’s congressional district and serves as chairman of Citizens for Community Values, finds it “very disappointing and … typical of politicians to hide behind judges.”

“Let me take you back to 1998 in Hawaii when the first case of same-sex marriage was argued, and it went before the Hawaii Supreme Court,” Burress recalls. “The state legislature changed the constitution to say that the judges will not rule on marriage, that this is a matter for the people and the legislature. And that ended up passing by a 70 percent vote by the people of Hawaii. That’s type of leadership we’re looking for out of Mr. Boehner.”

But Burress adds that traditional marriage proponents are not going to give up the institution of marriage, and he warns that lawmakers will have to pay a price in upcoming elections if indeed they turn the wrong way on marriage