Coming home just now, I turned on a local wingnut radio station just to see what they are ranting about now. I was not to be disappointed. A representative from a site for an organization called Texas Values (you can already see where this is going) was ranting that some local governments in Texas are GOD FORBID--recognizing domestic partnerships and are EVEN MORE SHOCKING--granting benefits to them. I apologize for the all caps screaming, but that is the emphasis this man was putting on this issue.
He went on to say that the Texas Constitution was amended in 2005 and that there is no reason to change it now. Of course, Texas is changing and has certainly changed in 8 years. I'm not sure we could get a vote recognizing same sex marriage yet, but it will come. Not only was recognizing and extending benefits to domestic partnerships one of the worst things this man could imagine, he said there would be consequences for the local governments who are blatantly challenging the law. He gave the web site address and I just checked it when I came home and it is full of "family values" crap.
Here is part of the text on the site concerning the horrific domestic partnerships:
Austin, TX, April 29, 2012 – Today, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and his office released an official attorney general opinion concluding that the Texas Constitution “prohibits political subdivisions from creating a legal status of domestic partnership and recognizing that status by offering public benefits based upon it.” The opinion makes it clear that a “political subdivision” does include “cities, counties and school districts.”
Currently, El Paso County, Travis County, City of Fort Worth, City of Austin, City of San Antonio City of El Paso, and Pflugerville Independent School District give legal recognition to domestic partnerships and/or same-sex couples, in violation of the Texas Constitution. Austin Independent School District is attempting to be the second school district in Texas to give legal recognition to domestic partnerships.
There is a "Save our Scouts" petition and sections on Religious Liberty. I find it funny that there is no liberty for local governments to allow a benefit--not really freedom, but in line with extremist views.
Link to the site: www.txvalues.org