Republicans again walk off floor of the House of Representatives as political rancor grows

Issue of civil marriage for same-sex couples is fouling clear thought

ACTION ALERT!

Republicans members of the Indiana House of Representatives again walked off the floor on Thursday after Democrats denied them the chance to advance their proposed state constitutional ban on civil marriage for same-sex couples. Republicans repeatedly tried to offer a motion that would bring the proposal to the floor for debate, but Democratic House Speaker Patrick Bauer refused to recognize them.



In the opening prayer as the House began its work on Thursday, the Rev. Jeff Miner, senior pastor of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church led the House in a prayer. Rev. Miner reminded legislators that women were once banned from voting because it was considered contrary to the Bible. He reminded them that interracial marriages once were believed to threaten the foundation of the American family, and that left-handed people were thought to be under the influence of the devil because they were different. He reminded legislators that America is a place where "the rights of even unpopular minorities are protected by sacred constitutional covenants."



This isn't the first time this week the prayer turned political. On Monday a pastor from northwest Indiana told lawmakers in his prayer that the Bible says that marriage is between a man and a woman.



Your Help is Needed!

If your community hosts a "third house" or other similar session this weekend with members of the House of Representatives, be there! Take time to express your outrage at the politically-charged actions of the House Republicans.

Call or e-mail your State Representative. If your Representative is a Republican, let him/her know of your opposition to their proposal to institutionalize discrimination in the State Constitution. If your Representative is a Democrat, thank him/her for their support of Speaker Pat Bauer in his efforts to turn back this attempt to ban civil marriage for same-sex couples.

Contacting Your State Legislator
For information on contacting the legislators who represent you, go to Indiana General Assembly (www.in.gov/legislative). If you do not know who represents you, find out by going to Project Vote Smart - A Voter's Self Defense System (www.vote-smart.org).

Important Phone Numbers
House: House Toll-Free:




Please write to letting us know that you called or emailed.



For more information on Hoosier Families for the Preservation of the Constitution, please visit our website at www.hoosierfamilies.org.