Boston Bar Urges Constitutional Convention to Defeat Amendment that Would Discriminate Against Same Sex Couples

BOSTON, Nov. 8 -- As the Massachusetts Legislature prepares for a Constitutional Convention on November 9, Boston Bar Association President Jack Cinquegrana today issued a statement reaffirming the Association’s opposition to a proposed Constitutional amendment that would effectively overturn the Goodridge decision:

“The Boston Bar Association has a long and proud record of working to combat discrimination.   Six years ago, we filed our amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in Goodridge.   We took that action because denying civil marriage to same sex couples discriminates against our gay and lesbian population in violation of the Massachusetts Constitution.

The Goodridge decision of 2003 represented a landmark civil rights victory, yet some have proposed that it should be negated by legislative action.  The Boston Bar Association has and will continue to oppose these efforts.  Today we voice our opposition to an amendment that would effectively write discrimination into the Massachusetts Constitution, a document which our courts have interpreted consistently as even more protective of individual rights than its federal counterpart.  To the contrary, our Constitution must never be the vehicle for limiting individual rights, and its protection of gay and lesbian couples, given full expression by Goodridge, must never be eroded.

We call upon the Constitutional Convention to defeat this amendment.”