For Immediate Release:
February 5, 2004
Senate
President Pro Tempore
Cal Hobson
Hobson: Massachusetts Court Decisions Don’t
Translate into Social Crisis in Oklahoma
The
leader of the State Senate said Thursday he doesn’t
believe that recent decisions by the Massachusetts
Supreme Court make gay marriage one of the most pressing
issues facing Oklahoma.
Senate President Pro Tem Cal
Hobson said Senate Minority Leader James
A. Williamson’s assertions that Oklahoma’s
1996 Defense of Marriage Act is on the verge of being overturned
are ill conceived.
“I disagree with Senator Williamson on the immediacy
of this issue in our state. Oklahoma is not like Massachusetts.
Our courts are not like their courts. Our judges are not
like their judges. Suggesting that the Oklahoma
Supreme Court would follow their example is an insult
to our justices,” Hobson said.
Williamson, R-Tulsa, criticized Hobson Thursday for assigning
SJR 38 by Williamson to the Senate Human Resources Committee
chaired by Senator Bernest
Cain, D-Oklahoma City.
“That’s the appropriate assignment for that
legislation. Should it have been assigned elsewhere? Maybe
Agriculture? Aerospace and Technology or Transportation?
How about Tourism and Wildlife?” Hobson said.
The Senate leader said traditional marriage is not at risk
in Oklahoma. No court challenge to the Defense of Marriage
Act has been filed here and if such a case did go to the
Oklahoma Supreme Court, it’s an absolute certainty
that state justices would not overturn it, Hobson said.
“If he doesn’t have faith in the historically
conservative Oklahoma Supreme Court, maybe he should file
a lawsuit and let our court rule on this issue. If the Court
rules our law un-constitutional, which I don’t believe
they will, then this will be an issue in our state and we
can move forward with the debate.
“At this point, however, the Minority Leader’s
obsession with gay marriage borders on hysteria. There’s
a mathematical probability that a comet will someday hit
the earth and wipe out life as we know it. Senator Williamson’s
logic would suggest that we start evacuating the planet
now – just in case.
“I don’t think I’m going to do that. I’m
going to stay here and work on the real issues facing our
state like the fact that more than 600,000 Oklahomans don’t
have health insurance,” Hobson said.
Hobson also responded to Rep. Mike
O’Neil’s call for members of the Legislature
to sign on as co-authors of House Joint Resolution 1042,
O’Neil’s legislation calling for a Constitutional
ban on same sex marriages.
“There’s nothing courageous about this legislation
and it doesn’t take courage to act like a lemming.
If members want to be courageous they should stand up for
working poor in our state today who can’t afford health
insurance. They should be willing to work on the issues
that will make a real difference in the lives of Oklahomans,”
Hobson said.
For
more information contact:
Senate
Communications Division - (405) 521-5605
