Indiana House Passes Bill That Places Constitutional Ban On Same Sex Unions

Terrible news from Indiana Tuesday, the state House passed a constitutional ban on same sex unions 70-26 taking a step towards writing discrimination into the Indiana founding document, reports the Indianapolis Star. The bill’s author, Representative Eric Turner (Republican-Marion) said “The basis unit of society is the family and corner stone of the family is marriage. Marriage is and should be between one man and one woman.” The measure has passed the Senate several times in recently but died repeatedly in the House, which until this year was controlled by Democrats. A constitutional amendment must be approved by two separately elected legislatures in succession and then by voters, so it would take at least three years for the measure to be included in the state’s founding document. The Senate approved a constitutional same-sex marriage ban in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The entire legislature approved a constitutional amendment once, in 2005, when Republicans also controlled the House. Representative Matt Pierce (Democrat-Bloomington), who voted against the bill, reminded House members that the majority of Americans once opposed marriage between individuals of different races or religions, and said “One of the most important things a state or federal constitution does, what it’s supposed to do, is protect the minority ... from the tyranny of the majority. Which side of history will we stand on?”