Thank you for your letter, entitled “Why I’m voting yes on Measure 36.”
You ask me to join you in “preserving… marriage between a man and a woman.” But no one has proposed outlawing marriage between men and women. Your marriage is not endangered if two lesbians or two gay men choose to marry; the only thing that’s endangered is your “right” to have your family protected by the law while same-sex families are not.
You say that you’re afraid that “the law will be defined in a courtroom.” That is, indeed, the central issue of Measure 36. If lesbian and gay citizens believe they’re being treated unequally by Oregon laws, do they have a right to ask a court to consider the issue – or should a majority vote to make sure they never get their day in court? Should the state have to prove a rational basis for their laws – or should our Constitution say “rational basis is only required for heterosexuals?”
Denying any citizen – but particularly a much-discriminated against minority – their fair day in court is appalling. It’s against the best ideals of America. And any public official advocating such a thing should be ashamed.
I dearly hope a decent candidate runs against you in the next election, so I can donate to them and volunteer for them, and see you driven out of office.
Twenty years from now, you’ll be ashamed to admit the position you took on same-sex marriage in 2004.
Respectfully,
Barry Deutsch
Oh, SNAP!
rational, irrational?
Who is to decide what is rational and irrational?
Bravo.
Why have I been wasting my precious online time reading and reacting to thousands of inane comments on big-name blogs, when I could have been weighing in on local issues such as this one? Slap me…
I’ll be back– very soon.
Bravo!
Perhaps someone should have created “Measure 37” that would have outlawed marriage between a man and a woman. Then everyone could vote against “Measure 37” to act affirmatively to preserve marriage between a man and women, and could have left Measure 36 alone.
Barry, you rock.
But frankly, part of my platform for President-for-Life is to ban all marriage. Think of how the divorce rate will plumment! No longer will women be subjected to paying for ugly bridesmaids dresses. No longer will men be forced to cram themselves in tuxes. No more Marcerena or Chicken Dance.
standing and applauding