Romney questions same-sex marriage
14 May 2012 4:05 AM GMT
Mitt Romney, the likely Republican candidate in this year’s US presidential election, has rejected the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. ‘Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman,’ Romney told graduates at Liberty University, a Christian college in Lynchburg, Virginia. Romney, a Mormon by religion, was given a standing ovation.
Addressing the graduation ceremony, Romney avoided talking about his own faith but stressed the importance of Christian values in American society. ‘There is no greater force for good in the nation than Christian conscience in action,’ he said. While Romney opposed gay marriage, he said same-sex couples should have some rights, including the ability to adopt children.
President Barack Obama, fighting for re-election in November, had announced his support for gay marriage earlier this week. ‘At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important ... to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,’ he had said.
Giving reaction of the various camps on the statement made by the US President, The New York Times had writteb: ‘With Nation Split, Obama Calls It a Personal Conviction.’
The Washington Post had said: ‘Obama’s announcement gave an immediate jolt to the decades-long movement for gay equality at a moment when a growing number of states are moving to ban or legalise same-sex unions and as polls show a majority of Americans support marriage rights.’
MILESTONES
- 1950: Harry Hay formed the first national gay rights organisations called the Mattachine Society.
- 1969: The Stonewall Rebellion: a routine police raid at The Stonewall Inn, frequented by gays, turned violent. This was the beginning for the gay community to come out and it was also the origin of the gay pride marches.
- 2004: Massachusetts became the first state to recognise same-sex marriages.
- 2007: The US House of Representatives approved a bill to protect gays, lesbians and bisexuals from workplace discrimination.
- 2010: In August. it became unconstitutional to ban same-sex marriage in California.
- 2011: New York legalised same-sex marriages.
Addressing the graduation ceremony, Romney avoided talking about his own faith but stressed the importance of Christian values in American society. ‘There is no greater force for good in the nation than Christian conscience in action,’ he said. While Romney opposed gay marriage, he said same-sex couples should have some rights, including the ability to adopt children.
President Barack Obama, fighting for re-election in November, had announced his support for gay marriage earlier this week. ‘At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important ... to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,’ he had said.
Giving reaction of the various camps on the statement made by the US President, The New York Times had writteb: ‘With Nation Split, Obama Calls It a Personal Conviction.’
The Washington Post had said: ‘Obama’s announcement gave an immediate jolt to the decades-long movement for gay equality at a moment when a growing number of states are moving to ban or legalise same-sex unions and as polls show a majority of Americans support marriage rights.’
MILESTONES
- 1950: Harry Hay formed the first national gay rights organisations called the Mattachine Society.
- 1969: The Stonewall Rebellion: a routine police raid at The Stonewall Inn, frequented by gays, turned violent. This was the beginning for the gay community to come out and it was also the origin of the gay pride marches.
- 2004: Massachusetts became the first state to recognise same-sex marriages.
- 2007: The US House of Representatives approved a bill to protect gays, lesbians and bisexuals from workplace discrimination.
- 2010: In August. it became unconstitutional to ban same-sex marriage in California.
- 2011: New York legalised same-sex marriages.
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