It's Got To Be Said

Over the weekend I composed a email letter to send to my friends...mostly college buddies, some that i haven't talked to in some time. Is it the right thing to hit them up with a political message? Maybe not. Still I thought it important to let them know what was coming up on tomorrow's vote. Here's what I sent:

Hi friends, long time no talk.

Sorry that this has to come under such circumstances, but I do want to encourage you to vote this Tuesday if you haven't already. I know that there aren't a lot of items on the ballot unless you live in Houston and have city council elections, but as you can guess by my concern, there's a ballot proposition I would like you to look at.

Constitutional Amendment #2 is the proposition to limit marriage in this state to one man and one woman. As you may be aware, state law in Texas already includes this, and it is very unlikely that this will be changed anytime soon by either the legislature or Texas courts. Besides the fact that this amendment is unnecessary, it's the problem that it also goes further than the current Defense of Marriage Act that was passed in 2003.

Now my mother said "what's the harm, it doesn't change anything?", but that's not true. If enacted, Amendment #2 would be used to take away state, and possibly privately granted domestic partner benefits, not only from same-sex couples, but from common law marriage couples as well. It would also seek to take away any legal efforts couples might have to set up funeral arraignments, hospital visitation, medical decisions, inheritance, and fair housing standards.

What it does, in my belief, is set up a discriminatory system in the state, codified by the state constitution, the very document that was cleaned of discriminatory language and laws over the last forty years. as much as I wouldn't want to vote the rights of others away, I would hope not to have the same done to me or my friends.

In my opinion, Amendment #2 should be voted down to prevent the erosion of what legal protections are available to common law and same-sex couples. The marriage issue is unnecessary, and just a sideshow to take away rights and responsibilities that are currently granted.

Finally, I'll just ask you to consider this, and go to the polls with an open mind, and that you please vote, whatever your vote may be. Voter turnout in off-season elections is very light, so your vote does count.

Thanks for you attention, and I hope to talk to you all soon under better circumstances.

Michael

I pretty much used the same arguments that I used with my mother a couple of weeks ago, so if it feels a little soft, or a little forgiving on the whole "no same sex marriage for YOU" thing, that's probably why. I guess I was thinking about my uber-Christian friend Matt, who I haven't seen in a couple of years, but yep, I sent this message to. I wouldn't be surprised to get a note back form him telling me that he voted for the measure.

We'll see what becomes of it all. I can handle a little hate mail.