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Taking on the gay marriage ban


Thursday, October 4, 2007

Prince George's lawmakers are already stepping out in front of the gay marriage debate.

After the Maryland Court of Appeals upheld the state's ban on gay marriage last month, Del. Victor R. Ramirez (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly, Del. Ben Barnes (D-Dist. 21) of College Park and state Sen. Gwendolyn T. Britt (D-Dist. 47) of Landover Hills pledged to sponsor a gay marriage bill.

Barnes, who said he and Ramirez would co-sponsor on the House side, said the bill would not force any religious group to perform a gay marriage ceremony, but would provide more rights than a civil union proposal.

"We're both straight men, but when one group is denied their right... it kind of demeans the basis of our entire society," Barnes said. "It's a civil rights issue for me."

Meanwhile, state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach has said such a measure would have an uphill climb.