I have read the full statement. In it Greg Abbott says, “The proposed ordinance runs contrary to the Texas Constitution, which prohibits religious tests, and also defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” Neither claim Mr. Abbott makes in his statement are true.
Article 1, section 4 of the Texas Constitution demands that office holders “acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.” This directly contradicts Article VI, paragraph 3, of the U.S. constitution. As a whole, that paragraph mandates a religious test, but simply discourages a test for a specific sect of religion.
In regard to Mr. Abbott’s second false claim, while the Texas Constitution has been amended to prohibit equal treatment under the law for certain families, the San Antonio city ordinance Mr. Abbott so proudly opposes makes absolutely NO mention of marriage at all. It doesn’t even mention civil unions. So it is entirely untrue that the ordinance conflicts with our state constitution.
Texas deserves better.
September 5, 2013 5:55 AM
