This is in response to a Same-sex marriages open Pandora’s Box in the opinion section of The Leaf Chronicle which appearing on Saturday 8/26/06 on the subject of Amendment 1 by Beth Sabel. Here is my response to her letter.
“I was truly saddened to hear of your post on how you feel that this will “open Pandora’s Box.”
To amend the wording to state “one person and one person” would not change any stipulations on how many persons, which family members, or which species could marry. It would simply change the gender of the two persons marrying.
I have yet to see anyone running off to Canada in order to marry his or her daughter. Or, for that matter, anyone jetting across the pond to Spain to marry their beloved cat, Mr. Whiskers. It doesn’t make any logical sense that you would draw the conclusion of same-sex marriage leading to anything of the nature suggested in your post.
This amendment will discriminate against people in every aspect of Clarksville’s community. Let’s ponder that only since a Supreme Court decision in 1967 have mixed race couples been able to marry anywhere in the country. That’s right, 1967. Forty years ago my partner’s sister would not have been able to marry her husband. Maybe whoever reads this wouldn’t have been able to marry their sweetheart.
Generally, everyone realizes and agrees that discrimination based on ethnicity is wrong. Why is sexual orientation or gender identity any different? Where will we be in the next 40 years? I think that perhaps we’ll be looking back on this issue in forty years. How will our children perceive our response? How will our grandchildren perceive this? Will they think that we were completely prejudiced?
What if one day, your grandchild comes to you and tells you they are gay; will you be able to look them in the eyes and tell them that they don’t have the same rights as you? Can you honestly tell them that they deserve less than you? Can you explain to them why you voted their dreams away? I encourage each of you to search for your own answers.
Don’t listen to the lines that politicians will feed you. Have you ever met a completely honest public official that was able to see past his or her own re-election?
The issue is not whether you believe homosexuality or bisexuality is right or wrong. The issue is about whether you think it’s right to legally discriminate against someone based on religious beliefs. Do what is right. Do it for equality. Make a decision that you’ll be able to proudly tell your grandchildren about one day.”
Below is the original referenced text:
“This November, Tennesseans have the opportunity and responsibility to uphold marriage as being one man and one woman.
This thousands of years old tradition is the foundation of society for a reason. If we allow same-sex marriage, we open a Pandora’s Box that we can never close again.
If we open the door to man-man or woman-woman marriage, we cannot legally “discriminate” against a man marrying three women, or five men, or 23 people. We couldn’t “discriminate” on the basis of age or relationship either. A man can marry his children and sexually exploit them legally. We would not be allowed to criticize or prosecute pedophiles.
Illegal aliens would also be a thing of the past. One person could go to the border and marry a truckload of people and make them legal immigrant spouses. After all, who are we to judge his “love” for them? Please vote in support of traditional one man and one woman marriage on Nov. 7.”
BETH SABEL
Clarksville 37043
For more information on this subject, visit http://votenoon1tn.com/
