In November 2006, voters of the Commonwealth of Virginia approved an amendment to the state constitution restricting marriage to one man and one woman. In addition to defining marriage as it will be used in legal matters, it prevents any unmarried individuals from creating a legal union that approximates marriage. The text, dubbed the Marshall Newman Amendment, makes it impossible for any same-sex couple to join together in a legal union that is intended to be similar to marriage (Walker, Dionne). Proponents of the marriage amendment contend that same-sex marriage is a threat to the stability of families and that it violates religious beliefs. Relying on circumstantial evidence and religious reasons to justify restricting marriage should not be tolerated in a secular government that purports the right to the pursuit of happiness.
