These Republicans want to ban marriage equality because ‘perverted acts’ shouldn’t be protected
Michael Speciale (L) and Larry Pittman (R) (NCLEG.gov)
Two Republican lawmakers in North Carolina want to ban marriage equality because it legitimises “perverted acts”.
The draft bill – called the Marriage Reaffirmation Amendment Act – was filed earlier this year by representatives Larry Pittman and Michael Speciale, but it is already effectively dead.
If passed, it would require state officials to disregard the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision on marriage equality.
The bizarre draft Act claims that marriage between men and women is the only model of marriage that follows “the scientifically obvious biology of human beings”.
It goes on to define same-sex marriages as “parody marriages” and argues that they force “secular humanism” on the public.
North Carolina residents have not forgotten the ‘ignorant ‘ efforts to ban marriage equality.
While the Act is effectively dead, residents in North Carolina have not forgotten Pittman and Speciale’s efforts to ban marriage equality.
One man, who is called Leo, recently emailed both representatives to say that he had not forgotten their “ignorant and unconstitutional” efforts to ban same-sex marriage.
Leo – who shared his email correspondence with Patheos.com – wrote: “If two people want to get married, then the government should not be getting involved in this as they are not the purveyors of morality. Two people getting married in no way affects me or my life and nor does it affect yours.
“The fact you have to keep yourself relevant by way of pandering to intolerant old people who think the bible should be the law of the land is shameful,” Leo concluded.
To Leo’s surprise, both representatives replied to his email.
Pittman: ‘Tell it to Satan when you see him’
Pittman wrote in response: “I have not forgotten that God is perfect, and therefore has no need to ‘change with the times’, and is, therefore, not ‘old fashioned’, nor is His Word.
He continued: “If you have a complaint about that, tell it to Satan when you see him.”
Meanwhile, representative Speciale said he is “glad” that people remember the Act.
I am here to protect the liberties and freedoms of all citizens, and that includes not legitimising every perverted act that people may decide to enter into.
“I am proud to stand for God, country and family. Family is what happens when a man marries a woman and they have children.”
He said that the United States was founded on Judeo/Christian principles, and continued: “This isn’t about religion, this is about what is right.”
Furthermore, he accused the Supreme Court of putting “liberal desires” ahead of their job when it legalised same-sex marriage.
Representative Speciale claimed same-sex marriages are ‘in no way’ marriages.
“Nowhere in the Constitution does it give the federal government any authority over marriage, and if homosexual marriages were intended by the founders, they would have existed at that time.
“I don’t care what your belief system is, you cannot legitimately argue that the US Constitution allows for homosexual unions (they are in no way marriages, regardless of what the government says).”
He concluded: “I am here to protect the liberties and freedoms of all citizens, and that includes not legitimising every perverted act that people may decide to enter into.”
Luckily, North Carolinians don’t have to worry about this bill making it into law anytime soon – but it’s still terrifying to remember that people still hold these views.
