Already a prominent senator is proposing a constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage in the United States. 

Sex between two consenting adults is legal.

Sounds obvious right?  But the above sentence is relevant to a Supreme Court decision that sent shockwaves through the whole country. The greatest fear among some is that it might transcend the legalities of sexual intimacy. It might progress all the way to—gasp!—relationships and civil rights. 

This editorial is of course referring to the ruling that declared a Texas sodomy law forbidding sex between homosexuals in a private home unconstitutional, thus destroying similar statutes in 12 other states. Already there is talk about how this ruling will finally give homosexuals equal protection under the law nationally in other matters—perhaps even allow gay marriages. 

Already a prominent senator is proposing a constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage in the United States. “Generally, I think matters such as sodomy should be addressed by the state legislatures.  That’s where those decisions—with the local norms, the local mores—are being able to have their input reflected. And that’s where it should be decided and not in the courts,” Senator Bill Frist, the current majority leader, told ABC News.

Translation: if it’s okay within a socio-geographic group to discriminate against a certain group of people, even to the point of invading their privacy, then so be it.

Of course this wackiness pales in comparison to past history right here in Florida and Miami-Dade County. After it was first proposed in the 1970s it took decades for the county to pass an amended human rights ordinance declaring it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. And even then a Christian Coalition backed group succeeded in putting a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they wanted to repeal the measure.  Fortunately their attempt failed: the ordinance was upheld. 

But then again it did nothing to stop state discrimination in other areas. Under state law it is still illegal for gay people to adopt a child. 

Perhaps that law should be the next test before the Supreme Court: whether or not gays who are qualified to raise children should in fact be allowed to adopt. Hopefully the court will strike this piece of legislation down with the same finality as it did in the case of the Texas statute.

Question is, will that be the source of another proposed constitutional amendment as well? 

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