With the demonstrations and protests currently underway in California in reaction to the passage of the discriminatory Proposition 8, it's worth remembering our own history here in Missouri. On July 13, 2001, in the dead of night and at the last possible minute, the Missouri legislature passed, and Democratic governor Bob Holden, signed into law an anti-gay marriage bill before any of the gay community even knew such a bill was under consideration. This bill paved the way for a subsequent state constitutional amendment that passed with 70.7% of the vote.
Note Holden's cowardly words in the article below: "I really wanted to spare the state the battle of discussion over this," he said. So the coward Holden not only stabbed the gay community in the back, he cut our throats so that our voices would not be heard.
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Bob Holden on Friday quietly signed into law a bill restoring Missouri's ban on same-sex marriages.
Holden signed the legislation hours before a public ceremony for other bills and on the last day possible for him to either approve or veto legislation.
``I really wanted to spare the state the battle of discussion over this,'' Holden said. ``This is a divisive issue.''
The new law also refuses to recognize same-sex marriage ceremonies performed out of state.
More than 30 other states have similar bans. Only Vermont gives same-sex couples the rights of married heterosexual couples.
Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan privately signed a bill banning same-sex marriages in Missouri in 1996. But the law was invalidated when a court ruled the bill dealt with too many other unrelated subjects.
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It was purest karma that Holden was thrown out of office after just one term.
Best,
Storm
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