What is the future of marriage?
BOISE – The battle over same sex marriages and other rights for gay couples has been fought for the last decade.
Bryan Fisher, executive director for the Idaho Values Alliance, says the recent upholding of Proposition 8 in California may be a vote that will give traditionalists a gain in momentum.
He agrees that the way forward is a bit confusing.
Where as a nation do we go?
Does marriage need to be redefined?
Marriage has changed vastly over the last 100 years.
"Since the dawn of time it has said in the Bible that marriage is between a man and a woman," Fisher said.
Kathy Hodges, an oral historian for the state of Idaho, says the 1887 Idaho Territory Statue about marriage does not include the phrase “between a man and a woman.”
“I just don’t think It would have occurred to them,” Hodges said.
What the Statue does include is this:
"All marriages of white persons with Negros or Mulatto is illegal and void.”.
Nicole LeFavour, state senator and Idaho’s first openly gay legislature, believes the state’s history is something to learn from.
"When you look at how long it took our country to be OK with the idea of interracial marriage, you see it's just some prejudices that have been upheld,” says LeFavour. “We will look back on it and feel really embarrassed about those things."
In 2006, voters amended the Idaho Constitution to add that “marriage is only between a man and a woman.”
Bryan Fisher, executive director for the Idaho Values Alliance, says the recent upholding of Proposition 8 in California may be a vote that will give traditionalists a gain in momentum.
He agrees that the way forward is a bit confusing.
Where as a nation do we go?
Does marriage need to be redefined?
Marriage has changed vastly over the last 100 years.
"Since the dawn of time it has said in the Bible that marriage is between a man and a woman," Fisher said.
Kathy Hodges, an oral historian for the state of Idaho, says the 1887 Idaho Territory Statue about marriage does not include the phrase “between a man and a woman.”
“I just don’t think It would have occurred to them,” Hodges said.
What the Statue does include is this:
"All marriages of white persons with Negros or Mulatto is illegal and void.”.
Nicole LeFavour, state senator and Idaho’s first openly gay legislature, believes the state’s history is something to learn from.
"When you look at how long it took our country to be OK with the idea of interracial marriage, you see it's just some prejudices that have been upheld,” says LeFavour. “We will look back on it and feel really embarrassed about those things."
In 2006, voters amended the Idaho Constitution to add that “marriage is only between a man and a woman.”
