Definition of marriage draws debate
Madison Marks
Issue date: 10/28/08 Section: News
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Amendment 2, or the Florida Marriage Amendment, is the most discussed of the six amendments that will share the ballot with White House hopefuls on Election Day.
According to Yes 2 Marriage, the leader of the campaign in support of the amendment, the amendment would define marriage "as the union of one man and one woman."
Florida Red and Blue, also known as Say No 2, leads the Florida campaign opposing Amendment 2. The campaign claims the amendment is unnecessary because Florida already bans gay marriage in its Florida Statutes and the amendment would block civil unions and domestic partnerships.
The group also argues that passage of Amendment 2 would eliminate existing benefits and hospital visitation rights for seniors and unmarried persons, university employees would lose job benefits, and ultimately the government would interfere in the personal lives of Floridians.
Alongside television ads and campaign material, opposition to Amendment 2 is seen on college campuses. The UCF Student Government Association's 40th Student Senate used their meeting on October 6 to pass Resolution 40-35 - opposing Amendment 2.
UCF's Resolution 40-35 states that the 40th Student Senate disagrees with the amendment "because of its capacity to lessen the rights of all Floridians."
According to the Central Florida Future, the FSU Student Senate passed a similar measure the day before.
Jessica Osborn, president of UCF's Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Union, proposed the idea of passing such a resolution to UCF Sen. Dustin Robinson. According to the Central Florida Future, Osborn is organizing efforts to get other major Florida universities to send similar resolutions to the state capitol.
Some students, like FCCJ's Lex Curry, a 19-year-old electrical engineering major, sees Amendment 2 through the lenses of separation of church and state.
"It sounds like a moral issue. The definition of marriage brings morality into the Florida constitution," said Curry.
But for voters like Sharmon Krzykalsky, a 40-year-old elementary education major, religious convictions and legislation integrate.