Oregon's constitution is supposed to protect EVERYONE," says retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice Jacob Tanzer.
"But that will change if constitutional amendment 36 passes Whenever we meddle with the constitution, there are unforeseen consequences Thrity-sex could deny gay and lesbian couples the right to visit one another in the hospital, or the right to keep their family home if one of them does, that's not fair.
"Don't use the constitution to hurt people."
The constitutional amendment passed, with 57% of voters supporting the measure -- as they did in 11 states during the November 2004 election -- but it was the weakest win of any state. Like 37 other states that already had laws defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, amendment supporters feared a court could toss aside the state law.
