(AgapePress) - The president of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of Pennsylvania) says federal and state amendments protecting traditional marriage should be a campaign issue, regardless of what First Lady Laura Bush says.

Last week on "Fox News Sunday," Mrs. Bush commented that although Americans do want to debate marriage amendments, the issue should be addressed with "a lot of sensitivity" and should not be used as a campaign tool. However, AFA of Pennsylvania president Diane Gramley feels the suggestion from the First Lady is not sound campaign advice -- especially for pro-family candidates.

Gramley feels it is tragic that Mrs. Bush does not see the importance of making the marriage amendment a campaign issue. Marriage is of essential significance to America's citizens, the Pennsylvania pro-family leader says, "because it is the foundation of the nation and of any society -- and that is one of the main issues that got the values voters out in 2004."

But now, the family values advocate asserts, many Christians who voted for President George W. Bush and other conservative candidates in the last elections are still waiting for confirmation that their marriage protection concerns are being addressed by the people they helped to put in office. Although a number of states have passed marriage protection measures, many conservatives feel the Bush administration has been sending mixed signals about its support for a proposed federal Marriage Protection Amendment.

Most Americans want traditional marriage -- that is, marriage defined as the union of one man and one woman -- protected, Gramley contends. She says elected U.S. officials at both the state and federal levels need to pass the marriage amendments that are before them so the people can vote on how they want marriage defined.

"Mrs. Bush, of all people, should see that it's been a very important issue," the AFA of Pennsylvania president observes, "and that politicians should stand up for marriage and should support the marriage amendments and voice their support for the marriage amendments during this campaign."

A proposed marriage protection amendment goes before Pennsylvania voters next month. While some opponents have argued in favor of "marriage rights" for homosexuals, Gramley insists that same-sex marriage is not a civil rights issue and that there is nothing discriminatory about the Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment or its proposed federal counterpart.

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