With one week until the election, a debate between the chief opponent and chief proponent of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was tense.

Robert Uebel, chairman of Equality North Dakota, and Christina Rondeau, executive director of the North Dakota Family Alliance, faced off Tuesday morning on WDAY-AM's Hot Talk.

Uebel told Rondeau her arguments in favor of Measure No. 1 assert heterosexual relationships are superior to homosexual relationships, which is discriminatory.

"Your organization and all these other pro-family organizations, you really don't spend time being pro-family," Uebel said. "You spend a lot of your time being anti-gay."

Rondeau and Uebel didn't speak to each other while waiting to go on the radio program. They avoided eye contact during the commercial break.

But after the show, Uebel demanded Rondeau explain questions on the Family Alliance's candidate survey relating to gay rights, domestic partner benefits and the marriage amendment.

She declined, requesting they be posed in writing.

Uebel accused her of running away from his questions.

On air, both raised their commonly cited arguments and talking points, interrupting each other more than once.

Rondeau said the amendment is a proactive step to stop activist judges, referring to judicial actions in Massachusetts that have allowed same-sex couples to marry in that state.

"There's no doubt that what is happening in other states could potentially have an impact on what could take place in North Dakota," Rondeau said.

Uebel touted editorials from The Forum, the Bismarck Tribune and the Grand Forks Herald, each endorsing a "no" vote on the amendment.

He said people's rights should not be up for a vote.

"The existing (state) law is already discriminatory," Uebel said, referring to the Defense of Marriage Act passed by the Legislature in 1997.

The amendment "is an attempt to use the constitution to ensure that we can't ever have access to these rights," he said.

Uebel said the amendment cuts out the judicial system. Courts in other states have realized that laws banning same-sex marriage are unconstitutional and the Family Alliance has realized that, he said.

"What do they have to do? They have to go change the constitution to make these laws constitutional," Uebel said.

Rondeau said justices are not meant to be lawmakers.

"If the people of North Dakota and the United States truly want marriage to be radically redefined ... they have the same rights that we have had to go through the direct initiative process, to lobby the people, to get that amendment, to get the law changed," she said.

Rondeau said homosexuals have the same right to marry as everyone else, but choose not to marry someone of the opposite sex.

She also said the amendment would not prevent private businesses from offering health or employee benefits to domestic partners.

"This issue is not about discrimination," Rondeau said. "This issue is about giving the voters of this state, and consequently this nation, the opportunity to uphold one of the most fundamental institutions of any civilized society."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Sherri Richards at (701) 241-5525