0 0 2B - The Michigan Daily - Election Guide 2004 - Thursday. October 28 P Poposail would entrenchga marnage ban -OPINION- The Michigan Daily -- Election Gu r ThfihgnDiy-Eeto i Bush: stronger on foreig By Jameel Naqvl Daily Staff Reporter Michigan residents will vote on a proposal Tues- day that could spark a legal controversy over same- sex marriage, which ultimately may be resolved in the courts. State laws already prohibit gay marriages, but Proposal 2 would amend the state Constitu- tion by defining "a marriage or similar union" as strictly between a man and woman. Oppo- nents claim that the measure would also ban civil unions and deny benefits from all unmar- ried couples. If recent polls are any indication, the proposal will likely pass. In an EPIC/MRA poll conducted last week among 610 likely voters, 57 percent of respondents said they favored Proposal 2 while 39 percent said they opposed the measure. Kristina Hemphill, spokeswoman for Citizens for the Protection of Marriage, which collected the required signatures to put the proposal on the ballot, said an amendment would "keep Michigan from going through the fiasco that has occurred in other states." In February, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that the state must recognize same-sex marriages. In San Francisco, city leaders gained national attention by granting marriage licenses to hundreds of gay couples against state law, but the California Supreme Court invalidated the licenses in August. Dana Houle, spokesman for the Coalition for a Fair Michigan, said a constitutional ban is unnec- essary because gay marriage is already illegal in the state. CFM is a group of organizations and vot- ers who oppose Proposal 2. Section 1 of the state marriage code states: "Marriage is inherently a unique relationship between a man and a woman ... A marriage con- tractedebetween individuals of the same sex is invalid in this state." In sections 2 through 4, mar- riage is defined as "a civil contract between a man and a woman" and same-sex marriage is explicitly prohibited. But if it passes, the proposal would also erect a legal obstacle to future civil unions, Houle said. Such partnerships, though not currently recog- nized in Michigan, would entitle gay couples to the same legal benefits under state law as heterosexual married couples. Partners in civil unions would not qualify for federal benefits. Houle said the proposal would affect hetero- sexual as well as same-sex couples. "Unmarried couples will lose health and pension benefits," he said. Houle said the domestic benefits offered to unmarried couples by public employers - includ- ing the University - and private-sector companies contracted by the state could be denied. He said even couples that receive benefits from private-sec- tor employers may face difficulties because public servants grant the legal status of domestic partner- ships and would be required to enforce Proposal 2 if it passes. But Hemphill said marriage does not neces- sarily guarantee benefits, adding, "This was never an issue that had anything to do with -- ----- - - -------- --- -- --- --- PROPOSAL 04-2 A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO SPECIFY WHAT CAN BE RECOGNIZED AS A "MARRIAGE OR SIMILAR UNION" FOR ANY PURPOSE The proposal would amend the state constitution to provide that "the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose." I I Should this proposal be adopted? 0 Yes ElNo - - - m m m m inm ininin benefits." She said the immediate cause of the proposal was the recent developments in Mas- sachusetts and California. Hemphill said supporters of the measure know same-sex marriage is already illegal under state law, but that such legal prohibitions did not prevent the issue from being revived in other states. University President Mary Sue Coleman said Proposal 2, if passed, would not affect domes- tic benefits offered to University employees and that the University will defend its right to offer those benefits in court if that right is challenged. In fact, Proposal 2's constitutionality will most likely be decided in the courts. "If it passes, there will probably be litigation," said Judge Jessica Cooper of the State Appeals Court. The question of what benefits will be affected if the proposal passes "will probably be resolved in the courts," she added. Ten other states also have proposals that could ban gay marriage on their ballots for Tuesday's elections. BY DAVID RUSSELL President Bush should be re- elected because he advocates a multilateral foreign policy and fol- lows the vital principle of not mak- ing national interests subject to the approval of international organiza- tions. This foreign policy approach has been successful in bringing together members of the interna- tional community to handle issues of global concern. Prior to going to war with Iraq, the president sought approval from the United Nations, and unfor- tunately was rebuffed by China, France, Germany and other coun- tries. However, the president carried on and acted with what he thought was in the best interest of American security. He put together a coalition including Australia, Great Brit- ain, Italy, Japan, South Korea and yes, Poland. During the debates the president's insistence that John Kerry recognize Polish contribu- tions to the war in Iraq drew a lot of laughs from the late night shows and those trying to denigrate the contributions of our allies to the international coalition. Thankful- ly, the president understands that America should be happy to have as many allies as possible and has given them the recognition they deserve in contributing to the coali- tion. The president's detractors say that the president can only act with approval from the United Nations Security Council, but if having Poland at our side isn't enough, how can having the approval of Algeria, Angola and Benin make the situa- tion in Iraq any better? No one should consider that the United Nations is a panacea to the world's problems. There are vari- ous scandals at the United Nations., the most egregious of which is that many U.N. officials, as well as dip- lomats from France and Russia are now being implicated in the U.N. oil-for-food scam in which Sad- dam Hussein ripped off the United Nations for over $10.1 billion. Hus- sein then used this money to buy off political allies on the world stage, while trying to make the claim that the sanctions placed on him, not himself, made life for his people more difficult. The United States isn't perfect, but to become a viable organization that has its authority and resolutions respected again, it must reform itself and clean up its act. By providing funding for a quar- ter of the U.N. budget the United States has remained committed to the ideals that the United Nations can be capable of. Critics will say that the president has no respect for the United Nations and are proven wrong by the fact that the presi- dent has addressed the U.N. General Assembly three times during his term about the challenges the international community must face together. Multilateralism is the unified actions of more than two countries and is not something that is defined strictly by U.N. approval. The president realizes that the United Nations isn't perfect and therefore has chosen not to give the body veto power over our national security. By bringing together a coalition of 34 countries, the president has created a multilateral force that is now working toward peace in Iraq and replacing a dictatorship with a democratic government. The president has also engaged in multilateralism on a variety of issues. The United States is now working with China, Japan, Rus- sia and South Korea to negotiate a resolution to the nuclear dilemmas that North Korea now poses. This is a departure from the bilateral negotiations of the past decade that Oc7,2t03:epr testate House. i Aug. 27,2004: In a party-line vote, the Board of State Canvassers rejects the signatures, citing deceptive ballot language. (R-DeWitt) introduces a ballot proposal in the Legislature that would create a constitutional ban on gay marriage. S1 March 9,2004: A vote to place the I the North Koreans did not ho and that aided in the developm of their nuclear' program. Ke has been critical of the multilate approach in North Korea, claim instead that the United States sho work with North Korea bilaterall negotiate not only a solution to nuclear problems, but also re-oJ talks- about the 1952 armistice - the de-militarized zone betw4 the North and South Korea. Fi the top priority of talks with No Korea must be ending the dev opment of its nuclear capabiliti Second, it is incomprehensible h excluding South Korea from neg< ations about the 1952 armistice a the DMZ would make the reg or the world a safer place. Thi it's hypocritical to criticize President for not bringing counti together and then promote excl ing other countries from discuss issues that directly affect them. The North Korea situation sho be handled with a multilate approach. By having China, Jap Russia and South Korea involv the U.S. generates internatio cooperation and gets regional p ers involved in a dialogue to sole common problem. In Libya, the effects of the pr ident's foreign policy have resul This is a p Hume Who ne In spite of pleas from Vie activists and veteran's gro successfully sabotaged the (Senate Bill HR-2833). By d communist Vietnamese effo Christian hill tribe peoples Representative Chris Smith, aid to Vietnam to "substar rights record. Smith's bill pa: 410-1 vote in 2001. But it r Senate, because it was blc East Asian and Pacific Af In July 2004, the House 45. The bill was again sta communists free to continue Christians and steal their As late as 1970 there were a in various tribes living in th As a direct result of Vietr extermination, the total popul 650,000. Internal Vietnamese Human Rights Watch support standing incidents of torture a resulting in Vietnam's co http://www.vietnamveter kerryhumanrights.htm Also, search: Kerr This ad written and paid for by Gar authorized by any I proposal on the ballot falls short of the required two-thirds supermajority in the state House. July 5, 2004: Citizens for the Protection of Marriage submit more than 475,000 signatures in support of the proposal to state election officials. - U -WVNN Sept.3,2004: The state Court of Appeals over- rules the decision of the board of canvassers and rules that the secretary of state must place the proposal on the November ballot. GRAPHIC: ASHLEIGH HENTON --------- - - - '%AVW THE MICHIGAN DAILY ELECTION GUIDE 2004 Editor in Chief: Jordan Schrader News Editors: Alison Go, Carmen Johnson, Andrew Kaplan, Emily Kraack, Tomislav Ladika Opinion Editors: Sam Butler, Jennifer Misthal, Jason Pesick Photo Editors: Jason Cooper, Tony Ding News Writers: Farayha Arrine, Krystin Elizabeth, Donn M. Fresard, Alex Garivaltis, Anne Joling, Justin Miller, Jameel Naqvi, Karen Tee Opinion Writers: Katherine Cantor, Zackery Denfeld, Whitney Dibo, Sara Eber, Mara Gay, Rajiv Prabhaker, Christopher Zbrozek Cover Art: Elise Bergman Design Staff: Patricia Chang, Ashley Dinges, Ashleigh Henton,Lindsey Ungar