Maryland legislators ended their three month session yesterday, April 11^th.  The completion of this year’s session brought the passage of bills that would raise the alcohol tax by three percent, increase the buffer zone between picketers and funerals, provide incentives for facilities that create energy by burning trash and many others.  But more notable than what was passed, is what was not passed.

Same-Sex “Marriage”

Contrary to many predictions that Maryland would soon become the 6^th state to legalize same-sex “marriage,” SB 116, which would accomplish that goal, failed to pass the House of Delegates and was recommitted to the House Judiciary Committee.  This victory came through the dozens of phone calls and letters from those of you who stand for traditional marriage.  Many thanks are due to Derek McCoy, President of the Association of Maryland Families, and their entire staff for the tireless work that was poured into supporting this effort.

This victory for traditional marriage, though huge, is not necessarily a permanent one.  Since the bill was recommitted to committee, and not actually voted upon and failed, it can be brought up again next year at its current stage in the process.  Indeed, Chuck Butler, chairman of Equality Maryland the states’ leading LGBT advocacy organization said:

“So we agreed that if we could not pass the bill this year, we should try again next year.  Importantly, House leadership committed to bringing up the bill again in 2012. To preserve our prospects of success, therefore, it was best not to hold a vote now, given the chances of the bill’s defeat by a wide margin. It would be more difficult, within a year, to convert “no” votes to “yes” than to obtain a “yes” from delegates who had not locked in their position with an actual vote.”

Therefore we must remain ever vigilant on this issue, because homosexual activists certainly will.

“Gender Identity”

Another bill that ended in the “did not pass” category was HB 235, the “gender identity” bill which would prohibit alleged discrimination against a person based upon their gender identity.  The concept of gender identity attempts to legitimize a person’s wish, perception or belief that he or she is actually the opposite sex than his or her own sex at birth. This type of legislation tries to normalize and mainstream transgendered behavior such as cross-dressing.  House Bill 235 was recommitted to the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee by a vote of 27 to 20.

These two victories in one of the most liberal states in the union are welcome news for everyone who stands for conservative family values!

For a more complete list of legislation that was passed (or failed) in Maryland this legislative session, click here.

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On February 25, 2011, FRC’s Peter Sprigg and Pierre Bynum testified before the Maryland House of Delegates’ Judiciary Committee voicing their opposition to a bill that would redefine marriage.

Click the ‘play’ button below to listen to Pierre Bynum’s testimony.

Click the ‘play’ button below to listen to Peter Sprigg’s testimony.

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The ACLU is at it again. This time, they are demanding an apology from a Montgomery County, Maryland, public school teacher. Behind this demand is, as always with this federally-funded outfit, the bludgeon-like threat of a huge lawsuit.

What was the teacher’s offense? Apparently, the teacher threatened a student with detention if she refused—as she repeatedly did—to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. The teacher sent the student to the counselor’s office for her refusal to stand.

The ACLU immediately invoked the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943). That case is often cited as a hallmark of American civil liberties, especially remarkable because it was handed down while the United States was engaged in a world war to defend democracy.

But the Court in 1943 said that students cannot be required to salute the flag or recite the Pledge. That was quite right.

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