Many liberal groups argue that the sodomy law is nothing more than a relic of Texas' discriminatory past, totally un-enforceable and a blatant violation of the right to privacy. In short, Texan's need to realize that, far from being an empty statute whose time has passed, the sodomy law provides an important defense against the radical homosexual political agenda. The only obvious shakeup occurred on the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, where Laney erased a 5-4 Republican advantage by shifting out two Republicans and replacing them with two Democrats. With gun control likely to be a hot issue before the legislature this session, the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee will merit special scrutiny. Every day, Americans young and old blissfully enter into a time-honored tradition known as marriage.
Families gather, rings are exchanged, and vows of eternal fidelity and love are spoken.
The bride is dressed in white, and the awkward groom is thankfully submerged in her radiant glow. The minister solemnly conducts the wedding program, and the wedding planner rushes about in a peripatetic fit reminiscent of a poodle on a caffeine high. Such are the things that comprise the modern wedding. This seemingly innocuous portion of the wedding ceremony establishes legal standing for the newly married couple, and a unique status recognized by a host of state and federal laws. Under Texas law, marriage, along with its attendant benefits, is limited to those unions comprised of one man and one woman.