Bozeman City Council Passes Resolution Supporting Seven Same Sex Couples Suing Montana For Full Marriage Equality

Bozeman City Council Monday night unanimously approved a resolution supporting the seven same sex couples suing the state of Montana for marriage equality, Bozeman becoming the first city in the state to adopt such a stance, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports. Bozeman city commissioners intend to forward their resolution to the governor, attorney general, and state legislators, Mayor Jeff Krauss saying “This is an opportunity to lead. It’s an opportunity to convince those individuals – those open-minded individuals – to respect the minority.”Monday’s meeting was attended by an estimate 50 citizens, at least 15 people on either side of the issue addressing council prior to the vote. Rick Vaught, opposed to the resolution, said that the city and its elected officials “needs a reality check,” and that homosexuality is an epidemic that breeds sexually transmitted disease, drug addiction, and paganism, adding “Jesus did not die on the cross for you and me to set our own rules. City commission – stand against God if you will, but be assured you will not stand very long.” The resolution approved by the commission Monday states that “although the ‘marriage amendment’ in the Montana Constitution precludes same-sex marriage, it does not preclude same-sex couples from having the same fundamental rights of equal protection, individual dignity, privacy, due process and the pursuit of life’s basic necessities guaranteed to all Montanans under the Montana Constitution’s Declaration of Rights.” Mayor Krauss, who son plays football with the son of one the seven same couples suing the state, sponsored the effort to compose and pass the resolution, and said, despite his often conservative view, he did so because he believes that government, at all levels, is intended to protect individual rights of all citizens.