Letter to my state legislature

To the Republican Majority in the Arizona State Legislature:

I am writing to you regarding the Arizona legislature's proposal to send an amendment to the Arizona Constitution before voters in 2006 banning gay marriage. I strongly urge you to vote NO.

As your constituent and a fellow Republican, I am greatly concerned about the fact that this amendment as proposed would usurp the rights of local communities to decide for themselves how to handle benefits for domestic partners. The GOP is supposed to be about less government interference, not mandates from on high. I am also concerned about what seems like a blatant attempt by our party to draw more ultra-conservatives to the polls in a gubernatorial election year. It's, as the Arizona Republic noted, political chicanery unworthy of our great party. This state has a Republican majority. Surely a worthy GOP candidate can win out over Governor Napolitano without such a ridiculous ploy.

As a married mother of three, I am concerned about any law that prevents people from forming lifetime commitments to each other. Commitments strengthen families, whether they be between a man and a woman, two men, or two women. That is good for individuals, good for children, and good for the state. Same sex marriage is not a threat to traditional marriage; individuals making lifetime, legally binding commitments to each other can only strengthen the institution of marriage as a whole.

As an Arizonan, I strongly believe this amendment is a horrible idea for our state. We already have a law banning gay marriage. Why should we add language--into the constitution no less!--that could even take away the rights of couples to form legal contracts with each other. I don't understand how going this far could be anything other than mean-spirited and vindictive.

Please stand against this horrible amendment. Please don't let the state play politics with people's lives. To quote Barry Goldwater, arguably one of the greatest Republican politicians to come out of this state:

The big thing is to make this country, along with every other country in the world with a few exceptions, quit discriminating against people just because they're gay. You don't have to agree with it, but they have a constitutional right to be gay. (Washington Post, July 28, 1994).

Thank you for your consideration.