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from our web page: www.ssnetwk.org
An Open Letter to the President of the United StatesFebruary 29, 2004
President George W. Bush Dear Mr. President: In view of your stated endorsement of a proposed Constitutional Amendment limiting marriage to a man and a woman, I want to draw your attention to a little-known group of heterosexual persons and their families who have been harmed by the societal assumption that marriage is permissible only between a man and a woman. This group will continue to grow if the amendment you support were to pass. Statistics suggest that up to two million gay men and lesbians in the United States have married persons of the opposite gender in the belief that the only way to achieve a loving committed relationship and a family is to enter the traditional form of marriage espoused by their family, community, or faith-based congregation. In so doing, most deny, ignore, or leave unquestioned their same-gender attractions. Eventually, those feelings can no longer be suppressed. After a painful struggle between fidelity and truth, love and deception, many come out to their heterosexual wives and husbands. In the majority of cases, the couples divorce, leaving broken families and single parents across the country. Thus, the gay or lesbian spouses' attempt to commit to a heterosexual marriage endorsed by society ends up hurting not only themselves, but also their wives or husbands and, most importantly, their children. If the Constitution were amended to codify marriage as being only between a man and a woman, these painful stories of closeted marriages and family breakups would multiply. This would add to the current instability of our communities and further erode marriage as a core social value. In contrast, the legalization of marriages of same-gender couples would decrease such personal and family disasters and increase the number of stable couples contributing to community life. With fewer divorces and more married couples staying together, marriage as an institution might begin to heal. Please think again about your endorsing this proposed amendment. Amity P. Buxton |
All written word is "The Opinion" of Thomas A. unless otherwise noted...
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