Del. Joe Morrissey vows to introduce a bill that would allow same-sex marriage in Virginia

Never one to shy away from controversial issues, Del. Joseph D. Morrissey (D-Henrico) stated that he will introduce a bill to overturn the 2006 constitutional ban in Virginia on same-sex marriage.

Morrissey’s statement came after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its rulings on same-sex marriage on June 26 that overturned the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” but left individual states with the legal authority to allow or disallow same-sex marriages.

While the separate rulings involving same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court were viewed as steps in the right direction towards marriage equality, each state must now decide whether it wants to allow same-sex marriage.

In the statement that Morrissey released, the delegate from Henrico had this to say, “I want to take the next step and repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which effectively bans same-sex marriage in Virginia. It is time for us in the General Assembly to provide equality to all citizens of the commonwealth!” How dare Del. Morrissey attempt to legally enforce equal rights for all Virginians!

The irony of those opposed to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Virginia is two-fold. First, if we’re to assume that a majority of Virginians opposed to same-sex marriage are conservative, then denying certain rights to particular groups of individuals is picking and choosing winners and losers, right? One of the most vocal critiques of government activism by conservatives is that government picks winners and losers to the detriment of society as a whole. But that is exactly what is being done by allowing certain groups to legally marry and denying this same right to other groups.

Secondly, if we wish to talk honestly about what is severely eroding the institution of marriage, look no further than the American version of capitalism. In our economic system, allegiance to one’s employer is the pinnacle of being a good citizen, not allegiance to one’s spouse in particular and family more generally. It is telling that “good” companies are the ones that emphasize employee ‘personal time’ and/or ‘family time’, implying that not all companies do AND that family and/or personal time is secondary to ‘getting the job done’.

As Virginians, and more broadly as Americans, we too often worry about how we’re going to pay off our mortgages or get that next raise, and not enough about what it takes to make a long-lasting relationship (e.g., marriage) successful.

Also remember these great words, "That government is best which governs least.” So heed the advice of the Founding Fathers so many opponents of same-sex marriage claim they admire and keep government out of the decisions two consenting adults make in their personal lives.