The New York Young Republican Club does not support one position on the marriage debate. Our Club has members who are both gay and straight and members that are for and against changing the laws on marriage. One thing our Club members oppose is judicial activism, as in the case where the courts decide on what the legislature needs to do.

Former Club President, Thomas Stevens was a believer in the big umbrella for the Republican Party. As NYYRC President, he chartered the Stonewall Republican Club in the 1980s and got the NY Republican Party very vocal on AIDS research.

Recently, at our November Speakers Forum, Reverend Michael Faulkner of the New Horizon's Church in Harlem, spoke in defense of Traditional Marriage between a man and a woman.

In New York, the decision may be left to the State Assembly and State Senate where our elected legislature will present a bill, debate it, then vote on it. Under normal circumstances, one would feel this is the correct democratic process where those who support traditional marriage and those who support gay marriage lobby their case to elected officials. But this isn't a normal circumstance.

Redefining marriage is an issue that should be left to the People of New York State, not simply those in our Assembly or Senate. The voice of the People is the true democratic process for a case such as this. Like a dozen other states before us, New York should use the power of Initiative and Referrendum to change a defined term in the State Constitution.

If New York votes in favor of traditional marriage...
- the State Legislature will have very little to say, since it would mean keeping the current defined laws in place.

If New York votes in favor of accepting gay marriage...
- the State Legislature will have to respond to the proposal approved by the People.

Of course, ballot referendums are always tricky matters when it comes to how it is worded. Does it advocate for a full change of marriage defining it between two consenting adults? Or does it open the window for Civil Unions, but leaving the use of marriage for traditional marriage?

The bottom line though, is, implementing change on social policy isn't something that should be left to one man. It isn't right to leave changing a historically defined term and, for some, an "institution" of human culture to a mere 212 men and women representing millions of New Yorkers. The marriage debate should be taken to and voted on by the People of New York State. If Republicans in New York can support any position (the courts, the legislature, the people), Republicans should choose the people. It is for the People to make constitutional changes on social policy.