SCR 1042 Update: By Mark R. Kerr

After approving a budget for the next fiscal year for Arizona's state government, the Republican controlled Senate took up SCR (Senate Concurrent Resolution) 1042, the proposed state constitutional amendment defining marriage as "a union between one man and one woman," which would be considered by voters on the November general election ballot if the state Senate agreed.

Since there were 16 Republican Senators present, the fix was in, being an election year and Arizona's Legislative Republicans need another wedge issue to run on in the upcoming election. Since there will be several ballot measures covering their favorite, "illegal immigration," Republicans needed to ensure success at the ballot box with their sure fire vote getter, "smearing the queers!"

Debate on the issue, with openly Gay and Lesbian Senators Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix and Paula Aboud, D-Tucson leading the charge against the bill was cut off by Senate President and candidate for Congress in CD-8, Tim Bee, R-Tucson, the vote was taken with 16 in favor and thus SCR 1042 will now appear on the November ballot, despite Arizona law (Arizona Revised Statutes 25-101 and 25-112) already banning same-sex marriage and the court decision, Standhardt V. Superior Court (2004), upholding the issue.

Cathi Herrod, Peter Gentala, the Center for Arizona Policy, and the rest of the right-wing religious fundies got their $500,000 free handout thanks to the Republican-led Arizona Legislature placing this on the ballot, saving them the bucks that would've been spent on a petition drive to get the required signatures, as they did in 2006 with their measure, Proposition 107, that was defeated by the voters.

Gay, Lesbian and straight supportive Arizonans will fight this new measure before us and as was done in 2006, so shall be done in 2008, when Arizona becomes the first state to vote down such a measure, twice!

Gays and Lesbians will not be a "wedge issue" for the likes of Herrod and her minions because as Peter Finch said in the movie "Network", "we are mad as Hell and we are not going to take it anymore!"