Anti-Gay marriage advocates submit petition signatures in Oregon

Opponents of same-sex marriage file petitions .

SALEM -- Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage submitted more than 244,000 signatures to state elections officials Wednesday, virtually ensuring a fiercely contested initiative campaign in the fall.

If it reaches the ballot -- a near certainty, considering the sheer number of signatures -- the proposal to define marriage as between one man and one woman probably will join a short list of high-impact statewide measures on the November ballot.

The move to amend the constitution to allow only marriage between a man and a woman and return Oregon to the 16th century is serious enough. Making it even more serious is the fact that it will bring out the paranoid Bible thumpers who might have otherwise stayed home and will certainly vote for Bush and the Republicans. This is indeed a victory for Rove and the administration and could be enough to swing Oregon from blue to red.