(Smith County Insider Press) Gordonsville, Tenn. – The recent Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage is still fresh on a majority of people’s minds. This landmark decision has brought to light the contrasting ideologies of the citizens of this county. Smith County Insider was recently informed of an online petition that is in favor of those against the recent SCOTUS ruling. We have had an exclusive interview regarding the matter with State Representative of Tennessee’s 40th district, Terri Lynn Weaver.
Tennessee We Must (abbreviated: TNWeMust) is an online petition for citizens to sign who feel the SCOTUS decision was, “Thereby ignoring the will of the voters, our Constitution, and the rule of law in the state of Tennessee…” Rep. Weaver described the petition as, “…a declaration, a creed, and a cry out for the people of Tennessee.” Weaver went on to say, “It matters not what man says marriage is. God’s way will always prevail.”
“In 2007 the State of Tennessee placed in our Constitution the definition of marriage between one woman and one man,” Weaver stated.
Below we have provided the excerpt of the State Constitution in full:
Article XI, Section 18. The historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one man and one woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state. Any policy or law or judicial interpretation, purporting to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one man and one woman, is contrary to the public policy of this state and shall be void and unenforceable in Tennessee. If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry and if such marriage is prohibited in this state by the provisions of this section, then the marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.
With Rep. Weaver promoting the event in her 40th district, her overall goal is to bring the petition to a state-wide rally in the near future. The rally event, tentatively schedule for early September at Legislative Plaza in Nashville, will showcase the signatures of the endorsers to Tennessee’s Congress and Governor Haslam. The organization and its supporters are looking for direct legislative action to reform the method of how state officials issue marriage licenses.
Weaver stated her involvement in both the rally and the petition: “It is my job when I raise my right hand to swear to uphold the Constitution of the State of Tennessee. “It ain’t about me,” Weaver went on to say, “ it’s about the rights of the entire state. Christians or Non-Christians, everyone should be concerned. The very group who said they were being victimized are now victimizing us.”
The target group for the petition includes: Governor Bill Haslam, Attorney General Herbert Slatery, County Clerks, County Sheriffs, judges, and all other Tennessee officials.
Here is a direct link to TN We Must’s website: tnwemust.com
Smith County Insider will be covering the happenings of the Tennessee We Must Rally in Nashville. We will provide an official date for the rally when the information is made available to us.
