Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Dialing for Civil Rights

About two weeks ago, the Human Right Campaign advocated calling the White House comment line because the news was that the President was on the verge of announcing his support for a Constitutional amendment (looks like they were correct, unfortunately). Below is the text I read to the operator I spoke with. I was cut off after a certain amount of time, so the part I was able to articulate is bolded.

If you would like to call the White House on this or any other issue of importance, the number is 202-456-1111

It has come to my understanding that the President is prepared to fully endorse and lend his support to the Musgrave anti-marriage amendment to the US Constitution. I am requesting that the President refuse to support this or any other such amendment. This amendment is blatant act of discrimination and bigotry against gay Americans. This amendment is morally and civilly wrong. This amendment seeks to classify gay and lesbian American citizens as having fewer rights and protections than other American citizens.

President Bush has in the past identified himself as being compassionate, a defender of human civil liberties, and a man of God. His endorsement of this amendment invalidates all of those claims. This amendment restricts civil liberties and would be the first amendment to do so in American history
.

Most Americans do not support a constitutional amendment on this issue. President Bush has always claimed to be representing the values of the American people. Americans do not value this amendment. Americans realize that more pressing issues face us today such as the economy, the hunting of terrorists, and finishing the war in Iraq. I ask President Bush to return his focus on these important issues, which are the true concerns of American citizens.

This amendment is Anti-American as well as Anti-Christian. The religious right does not speak for all or even most Christians in America. This amendment is hateful and Jesus did not preach hate. If President Bush considers himself Christian, he will immediately separate himself from this amendment.

Again, I repeat that President Bush, as the leader of our great nation, should not lend any degree of support to the Musgrave anti-marriage amendment which promotes a homophobic agenda and seeks to deny productive, loving, and stable American citizens our proper rights and protections.


No comments: