Mods: This is an Christian issue. Please do not move it into the Political Forum as it will not be received there without opposition and dispute. Thanks so much. :Rose:
I received this from a Maryland Senator in an email message:
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For years I have held the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. I have also felt just as strongly that all of our citizens, gay and straight, deserve the same legal rights, benefits, and responsibilities.
With these thoughts, last Tuesday I walked into our hearing on Same-Sex Marriage promising to keep an open mind, but fairly certain of how I would vote on the issue.
What I witnessed from the opponents of the bill was appalling. Witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community, and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles. I believe that sexual orientation is not a choice, but rather people are born one way or another. The proponents of the bill were straightforward in wanting to be simply treated as everyone else, and wanted to stop being treated as second-class citizens.
While, in my mind, civil unions with all the same rights as marriage is the best option, this is no longer the choice. The votes in committee are not there for this approach. I will still offer an amendment doing just that, but if it fails, I simply cannot turn my back on decent hard-working families who just want the same rights and dignity as everyone else in our great state.
For me, the transition to supporting marriage has not been an easy one, but the uncertainty, fear, and second-class status that gays and lesbians have to put up with is far worse and clearly must come to an end.
Sincerely,
Senator James Brochin
42nd Legislative District
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I received this from a Maryland Senator in an email message:
-----------------------------------
For years I have held the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. I have also felt just as strongly that all of our citizens, gay and straight, deserve the same legal rights, benefits, and responsibilities.
With these thoughts, last Tuesday I walked into our hearing on Same-Sex Marriage promising to keep an open mind, but fairly certain of how I would vote on the issue.
What I witnessed from the opponents of the bill was appalling. Witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community, and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles. I believe that sexual orientation is not a choice, but rather people are born one way or another. The proponents of the bill were straightforward in wanting to be simply treated as everyone else, and wanted to stop being treated as second-class citizens.
While, in my mind, civil unions with all the same rights as marriage is the best option, this is no longer the choice. The votes in committee are not there for this approach. I will still offer an amendment doing just that, but if it fails, I simply cannot turn my back on decent hard-working families who just want the same rights and dignity as everyone else in our great state.
For me, the transition to supporting marriage has not been an easy one, but the uncertainty, fear, and second-class status that gays and lesbians have to put up with is far worse and clearly must come to an end.
Sincerely,
Senator James Brochin
42nd Legislative District
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