Okay, here's MY idea for a REAL marriage amendment...

[Ian David]

For what it's worth, I think it would be good enough if we stopped after paragraph 4.

An Amendment to define and protect the dignity of all marriages performed within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and maintain the right of conscience and independence of the clergy.

1) Marriage as defined, regulated, performed, licensed and recognized by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is an institution separate and distinct from religious arrangements of the same name.

2) Marriage as defined, regulated, performed, licensed and recognized by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, shall consist of a Legal Union between two consenting adult human beings over the age of majority, no more closely related than first-cousins, neither of whom is married to another person, established with the intent of consummating a loving, life-long commitment to one another.

3) All marriages licensed within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be recognized as deserving of equal rights, protections, privileges, responsibilities and dignity.

4) No house of worship or religious institution shall be required to perform or sanctify marriages which they find objectionable.

5) In so far as The Commonwealth may have authority, no house of worship or religious institution shall force clergy people to perform or sanctify marriages which they find objectionable, nor sanction or discipline clergy people for exercising this right.

6) No clergy person, house of worship or religious organization shall be required to recognize marriages which they find objectionable, except for the purpose of disbursing non-religious charitable services for which they receive government subsidies, or for extending employee benefits to non-clergy personnel who administer such programs subsidized by State or Federal Government. This applies to Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Soup Kitchens, Homeless Shelters, and any other non-religious program subsidized by State or Federal Government, including parochial schools that accept vouchers.

7) No state official, Justice of The Peace, or other person may be forced to perform or solemnize marriages which they find objectionable, nor may they be sanctioned or disciplined for exercising this right. Such objections must be stated immediately upon request for a marriage ceremony, and the applicants must simultaneously be directed to an alternative officiant when an objection is voiced.

8) Each county government, and each city of over 50,000 people, must each maintain on payroll, or have access to, at least one licensed officiant willing to perform same-sex civil marriages.

9) All non-religious organizations, corporations, government entities, limited partnerships, and other business interests engaged in commerce within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be required to recognize all marriages licensed in Massachusetts as deserving of equal protection and dignity.

10) No non-religious organizations, corporations, government entities, limited partnerships, or other business interests may engage in commerce within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts if they exercise discriminatory practices regarding marriages licensed by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Secretary of State and The State Attorney General are granted the authority and charged with the mandate of enforcing this clause, by any legal means necessary.

11) Methods of enforcement may include suspension of corporate charters and business licenses, freezing of assets, property liens, civil suits, shielding citizens, corporations, and government entities from collection of Federal taxes, banning military recruiters from operating within the state, and withholding Massachusetts National Guard units from Federal service, until such time as a corporate or government entity complies with Massachusetts State Law regarding the equal rights and protections of all Citizens of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.