Students, faculty voice opinions on federal government decision to recognize same-sex marriages in Michigan
Despite the ban on same-sex marriage in Michigan, Troy junior Emily Herbon believes the debate over changing the law comes down to religion.
“The issue of people not wanting same-sex couples to be married is kind of not an issue to me because I thought we’re supposed to have a separation of church and state,” she said. “So bringing religion into the debate shouldn’t even occur.”
A ban on same-sex marriages in Michigan was voted into law in 2004. On March 21, the ban was overturned in U.S. district court. Two days later, a stay was placed on the ruling and upheld indefinitely later in the week.
Hundreds of same-sex couples who married on March 22 were unclear if they would be recognized by the government.
Attorney General Eric Holder said on Friday the U.S. government will recognize these marriages.
Orlando Perez, a Central Michigan University political science professor said federal benefits are limited to only the marriages that were recognized prior to the federal district judge invalidating the Michigan constitutional change.
“What (federal) courts are saying is that the electorate cannot by their choice violate fundamental equal protection laws and equal protection constitutional rights,” he said. Unlike Herbon, Perez believes it is not an issue of religion or people’s personal opinions on the matter.
“I think that Holder did the right thing because I believe the issue here is not a moral or religious issue related to whether you believe that gay people should marry or should not marry,” he said. “The issue here is the application and the distribution of federal benefits to people who are together in a stable relationship that somehow has the legal standing of marriage.”
Currently, 17 states and Washington, D.C., issue licenses for same-sex marriages. Since December, bans on gay marriage have also been overturned by courts in Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Virginia, but appeals have put those cases on hold.
“These families will be eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages,” Holder said on Friday in a written statement.
