There are times I am embarrassed to be a Texan
Amendment Goof May Have Banned Straight Marriage in Texas
While attempting to block same-sex marriages in Texas, legislators may have inadvertently banned all marriage state-wide. Oops.
In the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Houston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky said the following clause in The Texas Constitution designed to block same-sex marriage actually blocks all marriages.
Art. 1 Sec. 32. MARRIAGE. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.
The amendment, added Nov. 8, 2005, is not a statement mired in legalese. In fact, it's pretty clear English. One thing that is identical to marriage is marriage ... and this clause bans that. The wording has now left many people wondering how such a blunder might have occurred, Radnofsky included.
Read the rest here.
"Oops" indeed. I find this extremely amusing. In an attempt to deny the right to marry, they instead leveled the playing field. Equality FTW!
Morons.
While attempting to block same-sex marriages in Texas, legislators may have inadvertently banned all marriage state-wide. Oops.
In the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Houston lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky said the following clause in The Texas Constitution designed to block same-sex marriage actually blocks all marriages.
Art. 1 Sec. 32. MARRIAGE. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.
The amendment, added Nov. 8, 2005, is not a statement mired in legalese. In fact, it's pretty clear English. One thing that is identical to marriage is marriage ... and this clause bans that. The wording has now left many people wondering how such a blunder might have occurred, Radnofsky included.
Read the rest here.
"Oops" indeed. I find this extremely amusing. In an attempt to deny the right to marry, they instead leveled the playing field. Equality FTW!
Morons.