Navajo president vetoes gay marriage ban

[The Straight Story]

Navajo president vetoes gay marriage ban


Posted: May 05, 2005

by: Brenda Norrell / Indian Country Today
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. vetoed a same-sex marriage ban passed by the Navajo Nation Council. However, the veto could face an override in the council and the gay marriage ban could still become law.

While Shirley said gay marriage is not an issue on the Navajo Nation because currently gays are not requesting marriage licenses, the Navajo gay community, concerned with freedom of future choices, disagreed.

Shirley said the law would generate feelings of disharmony and disunity among Navajos and violates a central Navajo belief in goodwill.

''The legislation veiled a discriminatory aspect in the guise of family values, which goes against the Navajo teaching of non-discrimination and doing no psychological or physical harm,'' Shirley said.

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096410899

[blogbear]

1. Go Navajo!