Gay Marriage Ban Allows Domestic Abuse posted by Ben

Last November, Ohio voters passed Proposition One by a significant majority, despite the fact that not only were Democratic leaders almost uniformly opposed to the amendment, but almost every prominent Republican in Ohio spoke out against it.

This so-called Gay Marriage amendment went far beyond simply banning gay marriage. It also removed domestic partner benefits that would have a significant impact on all Ohio families.

Take a look at this new ruling from Ohio and shudder.

Domestic violence charges cannot be filed against unmarried people because of Ohio's new constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a judge ruled Wednesday.

In other words, unless you are legally married, you have just lost a huge safeguard against abuse and violence in the Buckeye State.

Listen up, Ohio! You voted for this. You voted to allow domestic abuse against girlfriends, roommates, and who knows who else. This is your law. Marry or be thrown out of the system.

Can anybody tell me how this helps conservative values? Anybody?

Wake up, America. Right wing extremists are mounting an assault on your rights, your freedoms, and your safety. Federalist conservatism is dead. The Republicans have become the party of Big Brother government, drunk with power, who will not hesitate to intrude on your life if you don't match their supposed 'Christian' morality.

But what kind of Christians define morality on the basis of the protections against abuse that they are able to remove? What kind of Christians believe that the right thing to do is to allow business to poison our drinking water and our air?

On this day of Good Friday, what god are these 'Christians' worshiping?

Burk, 42, is accused of slapping and pushing his live-in girlfriend during a January argument over a pack of cigarettes.

His public defender, David Magee, had asked the judge to throw out the charge because of the new wording in Ohio's constitution that prohibits any state or local law that would 'create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals.'

Before the amendment, courts applied the domestic violence law by defining a family as including an unmarried couple living together as would a husband and wife, the judge said. The gay marriage amendment no longer allows that.

Read the whole article here.