Republican Senator Mike Lee, the junior senator from Utah ,
posted an op-ed in the Deseret News (4/27/2015 ),
in which he purports to discuss the question before the Supreme Court; namely,
should same-sex marriage be legal and honored throughout the United
States of America ?
However, the good Senator misstated the question. To quote
his article:
“Tomorrow the Supreme Court will
hear oral arguments in a case involving four separate lawsuits, each dealing
with the same question: does the U.S. Constitution require the redefinition of
marriage?”
Sorry, Senator, but you misstated the question. The question
is not redefining marriage, rather it is "should same sex marriage be given
equality with opposite sex marriage?" In America ,
the civil contract known as marriage grants the individuals participating
certain rights, privileges, prerogatives, and responsibilities. These include,
but are not limited to, such rights and privileges as visitation at hospitals,
end of life decisions, joint ownership of property, right of survivorship, filing
taxes jointly; and should include having your marriage recognized as legal in
all 50 states and the District of Columbia .
To further quote you, Senator:
“And unless it’s an issue of
specifically national or interstate consequence, the Constitution directs this
decision-making process to occur at the state level, to create the space for
the greatest diversity of opinions to be expressed.”
Your own sentence, Senator Lee. I suggest you read, and
re-read it, carefully. It is one of the best arguments for equality of same sex
marriage.
Today, SSM is legal and recognized in 36 states and the District
of Columbia . If a same-sex couple is legally wed in Utah ,
should they not also have the same rights, privileges, prerogatives and responsibilities
if they move to Texas ?
Marriage has already been defined as a civil right by the
United States Supreme Court. Civil rights should not be limited to the current
state of residence; rather, they should be recognized throughout the land.
Therefore, Senator, this is an issue of specific national
consequence. Thank you for making the case for equality of same sex marriage in
the United States of America .
As always, your comments and opinions are welcome.
R.M. Bob Hartman
Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865627365/Let-people-not-courts-define-marriage.html retrieved April 28, 2015
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