COLORADO SPRINGS — An amendment on this year's ballot could change how marriage is defined in the Colorado constitution. Let's break out Amendment J.
Currently in the Colorado Constitution marriage is defined as a union of one man and one woman. The state's constitution states, “only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state.”
On the ballot this year, Amendment J would remove that definition.
“We're urging Coloradans to vote no on Amendment J,” said John Wolfe, a community member.
“I hope that it's in line with the majority of people in our community that they will vote yes on it,” said Nicole Hunt, a spokesperson for Focus on the Family, a church in Colorado Springs.
The current definition of marriage was added to the Colorado Constitution in 2006, after voters approved an amendment. However, since 2014, same sex marriage has been legal in Colorado. In 2015, it became legal nationwide when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a right to marry.
“It was alarming to see that it was put in place in 2006 that it was that recent that people decided to put a ban on our marriage, essentially in the state that we love and the city that we love,” said Josh Franklin, who has been married to Wolfe for three years. “So the idea that someone would say that our relationship is not legitimate is laughable. You know, whether we like it or not, this is my person."
The couple said they support Amendment J.
“Even if people, you know, say the religious or cultural backgrounds don't align with our ideas, that they can see that this isn't taking anything away from them. This is just equal playing ground for everyone, and I think that's all we really are looking for,” said Wolfe.
But others disagree.
“We believe that in order to have a healthy family and to have a healthy, thriving society, that we need to keep natural marriage, which is marriage between one man and one woman, intact,” said Hunt. “Kids do better when they are raised by married, biological parents. This is all evidence that goes to suggest that the way that we protect families, we have healthy families, we have a healthy society, is by maintaining our definition of marriage as one man and one woman."
She said members of Focus on the Family testified at the state this year against Amendment J.
“So, we went and we gave testimony on behalf of those kids and those families that this is actually going to create a healthier, better society, and why we ought not take this out of the Constitution,” said Hunt.
What does your vote mean?
A no vote, means the constitution would stay the same. The current language that defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and one woman would remain. Voting yes on Amendment J would take away the current language in the state constitution that defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and a woman.
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