Professor diligent in preserving marriage, family values

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    By David Hinckley

    Early Friday afternoon, Richard Wilkins, BYU professor of law, sat in his office and fielded a call from Doha, Qatar. He spoke briefly about arrangements for an international conference on the family.

    Next, he pounded out a fast e-mail to an associate and called his wife to say he would be late for lunch.

    After running a brief errand down the hall, he fielded another call and paused for a moment before finally turning to his visitor.

    Busy day?

    “It”s just dreadful,” he said.

    For the past eight years, Wilkins has given his heart and soul to family issues. He has spoken at conferences, founded organizations and lobbied for laws and amendments. Most recently, he has fought for Utah”s Amendment 3, ratified Tuesday, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

    “I”ve spent these years of my life wearing myself out running around,” he said. “Going around the world, taking major steps internationally toward preserving marriage and family, and now in my own backyard people seem to be confused about whether marriage is important.”

    A native of Salt Lake City and a BYU graduate, Wilkins spent time working in the U.S. Justice Department, but eventually returned to BYU to teach law. He was moved by the “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” issued by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1995. His involvement in family issues followed soon after.

    Eyes closing occasionally to remember the scenes, Wilkins described how it began.

    “I went to an international conference in Istanbul, and it was like being thrown in cold water,” he said. “I realized there really was an international effort to redefine marriage and the family.”

    In that 1996 conference, Wilkins spoke in favor of traditional marriage, outlining the international community”s role in promoting marriage and family.

    The result, he said, was amazing. Rather than forming radical ideas attacking traditional marriage, the conference came to more moderate conclusions.

    When Wilkins returned from the conference, he helped organize the World Family Policy Center, hoping to provide better academic support for marriage issues. The organization brings BYU”s schools of law, family life and social work together in a cooperative effort.

    Then, last November, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that homosexuals in the state must be allowed to marry, and legislators around the United States began considering constitutional amendments to put the issue out of judges” hands. Wilkins said when lawmakers began discussing legal issues about amendment wording, he thrust himself into the thick of the debate. In Utah, state Rep. Lavar Christiansen and others began drafting a state marriage amendment and drew on Wilkins” legal counsel in the early stages.

    “He”s just a brilliant legal mind,” Christiansen said of Wilkins. “I found him ready, willing and extremely able to share background and experience.”

    But Wilkins didn”t content himself with contributing legal advice. When Amendment 3 passed inthe Utah legislature and made its way to the ballots, Wilkins established “Yes For Marriage,” a political issues committee devoted to passing the amendment.

    “He adds great credibility to the campaign,” Christiansen said. “He”s just been a very staunch and highly skilled defender of traditional marriage.”

    For example, when organizations favoring Amendment 3 met to form a coalition, a heckler began asking pointed questions about ways the amendment could be abused. The questions momentarily startled coalition leaders, but Wilkins took the microphone and comfortably answered questions about the legal issues.

    In fact, Wilkins has discussed legal issues with many people. When state Attorney General Mark Shurtleff issued a statement denouncing the amendment on legal terms, Wilkins sent him a personal letter explaining the flaws in his arguments. Wilkins has also posted a 20-minute discussion on the amendment at www.yesformarriage.com.

    Efforts for Amendment 3 and 10 marriage amendments in other states culminated Election Day, but Wilkins doesn”t plan on slowing down.

    “I”ll just go on doing the same things I”ve been doing,” he said.

    Wilkins will fly to Doha, Qatar, at the end of the month, hoping to achieve an international declaration favorable to marriage and family. After that, he said, there will still be more to do.

    “There is a real need to muster academic support for the Proclamation [from the LDS Church],” he said, “and to put [information] in the hands of the people who are making decisions.”

    It”s an effort he plans to continue.

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