Same Sex Marriage Advocates Disrupt Indiana Senate

The Indianapolis Star reports that the Indiana Senate president closed the Senate gallery Monday afternoon after the audience interrupted debate on a constitutional same sex marriage ban by yelling, “stop hating, stop dividing, stop pandering.” Senators were attempting to discuss amendments to a resolution that would add a ban on same sex marriage to the state’s constitution when one man in the balcony began shouting and others joined him. Senate President Pro Tem David Long then ordered the balcony seating closed. As they filed out, the estimated forty audience members yelled “jobs not hate” — a statement on what they think the Senate’s priorities should be. The same sex marriage ban, which also prohibits civil unions, passed the House overwhelmingly, with support from all but one Republican (Representative Ed Clere) and support from some Democrats. The Senate likely will vote on it later this week, and the measure must be approved by a second, separately elected legislature and a popular referendum, likely to be held in 2014, before it can be added to the constitution.