Members of the Student Government Senate stepped away from normal debates about student fees and organizations at Wednesday’s Senate meeting, instead tackling issues such as gay marriage and nuclear weapons.
After a lengthy debate, SG Senate members overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging U.S. Congress members to reject a U.S. Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Senate members also unanimously passed a resolution against Iran’s production of nuclear weapons.
Senators Donald Hodge and Sam Moore presented the resolution against defining marriage, which led to a debate about whether national issues belong on the Senate floor.
A visibly emotional Moore addressed the Senate floor before the final vote.
“Can you understand what it would be like to not be able to sit with the person you love, who is dying, because of visitation rights?” Moore asked.
College Republicans president Paul Dietzel spoke against the resolution because he said it does not affect University student life.
“My question is, ‘why are we trying to push legislation like this that doesn’t have an effect?'” Dietzel asked. “I feel like this is wasting your time by trying to pass something that doesn’t really mean much.”
But College Republicans marketing director Kyle Alagood, mass communication sophomore, spoke in favor of the resolution.
“The writers of the Constitution personally never mentioned homosexuality,” Alagood said. “It would isolate American citizens who are gay.”
In the SG Governmental Relations committee Monday, Hodge said several students approached him with concerns about the proposed amendment.
“This affects students and our whole country,” Hodge said. “I think just from a public policy standpoint, this proposal is very troubling because it infringes on existing laws.”
But Hodge said the resolution was not a resolution in support of same-sex marriage or same-sex civil unions. Instead, Hodge said the amendment supports states’ rights to determine marriage laws.
“We do not agree with this particular amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” Hodge said.
Another resolution, authored by College of Arts and Sciences senator Heath Hattaway, tackled a global issue. The Senate unanimously passed Hattaway’s resolution urging national leaders to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
James Bullman, political science sophomore and president of Tigers for Israel, appeared with Hattaway to show support for the resolution.
“I love it,” Bullman said of the resolution’s passing. “I love seeing student leaders and future campus leaders taking such a strong unanimous stance for such a topic that is so pertinent to our generation.”
Bullman said he supports senators debating issues outside of the University.
“I’m glad senators believe that their job is important,” Bullman said.
 
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