MFI Response to Criticism Regarding
1913 Law Referendum

MFI has been harshly criticized for not participating in a referendum effort on the so-called, "1913 Law."  While we remain committed to returning the natural definition of marriage to the law in the Commonwealth, MFI has determined, after a careful review of all the facts and circumstances, not to become involved in this singular aspect of the same-sex marriage issue.

Massachusetts Family Institute is not participating in the referendum effort to reinstate the so-called 1913 Law because there is no winning on this issue.  By the time the measure reaches the ballot in 2010, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of out-of-state same-sex couples already will have married in Massachusetts.  More importantly, even if the referendum effort were successful at the ballot in 2010, this Governor and legislature--bent on exporting the same-sex marriage experiment--could easily pass another repeal in 2011.

MFI and our coalition partners were poised to undertake a referendum until it was announced that an "emergency preamble" was attached to the legislative measure--making the law effective immediately.  Without the emergency preamble, the repeal would have been suspended pending the outcome of the 2010 referendum.  Unfortunately, premature public statements by other organizations tipped the hand of legislators to undertake the unusual step of including an emergency preamble, effectively ending any fair referendum effort.

Resources:

• Press Release following House vote - CLICK HERE
• House Roll Call Vote - CLICK HERE
• Press Release following Senate passage of repeal - CLICK HERE
• History of the 1913 Law - PDF HERE
• Washington Times Article - PDF HERE
• Quotes from SJC re: 1913 Law - PDF HERE