Christianists Take Gov. Paterson To Court Over Gay Marriage Recognition

Tomorrow the New York Supreme Court will hear the petition of the Alliance Defense Fund, who is suing Gov. Paterson over his order that state agencies recognize out of state gay marriages. Hilariously, their suit claims that Paterson doesn't understand the dictionary definition of marriage.

The Alliance Defense Fund is suing Mr. Paterson, citing an online dictionary's definition of the word "marriage," and claiming that legal recognition of such marriages "will undermine the democratic process and force taxpayer dollars to fund benefits for same-sex couples."

Other plaintiffs in the suit include the state Assembly's minority leader, James Tedisco, as well assemblymen Daniel Burling and Brian Kolb and senators Martin Golden and Serphin Maltese. "This isn't about morals or ethics, it's about a legal standard in New York," a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund, Brian Raum, said.

In May, Mr. Paterson issued the executive order directing state agencies to "ensure that terms such as 'spouse,' 'husband,' and 'wife' are construed in a manner that encompasses legal same-sex marriages." In the suit, the Alliance Defense Fund says the order was an illegal breach of the separation of powers, in that Mr. Paterson did not consult the Legislature about revising the legal status of those terms before issuing the order. The suit also cites the online edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary as evidence that the word "marriage" applies only to a bond between a man and a woman.

Because the meaning of words never evolve. Online. Troll. Spam.