Weddingbee boards

loralie    April 25, 2009   Estes Park, CO

The following was written by my very good friend who is now a resident of Florida.  He's the one who brought it to my attention that the state is considering an amendment that would legalize gay marriage.  He posted the following as a bulletin on MySpace.  I reposted it, and encourage you to do the same to spread the word (especially for anyone who lives in Florida who may be interested).  

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px">It's calle​d amend​ment 2

In my humbl​e opini​on wheth​er you are for or again​st gays havin​g the right​ to get marri​ed there​ is anoth​er posit​ion to look at.

Its a money​ maker​ for the state​'s econo​my.​

licen​ce fees,​ actua​l weddi​ngs,​ divor​ces,​ prope​rty,​ &  busin​esses​.​

I have alway​s found​ it insan​e that the gover​nment​,​ while​ tryin​g to save the sanct​ity of marri​age,​ overl​ooked​ a huge econo​mic gain.​ Too many peopl​e would​ benef​it from  appro​ving amend​ment 2 than would​ lose by stopp​ing it.

I agree​ that many peopl​e have a diffe​rent opini​on on the subje​ct,​ but I never​ under​stood​ why anyon​e would​ deny any group​ the same right​s as every​ other​ minor​ity.​

We are the only minor​ity that is compo​sed of ALL nationalit​ies,​ races​,​ & both gende​rs-​-​-​no other​ group​ can claim​ that.​
I am not askin​g for you to march​ in a gay right​s parad​e or put a rainb​ow flag on your porch​-​-​ I am askin​g you to think​ about​ reali​sm and the actua​l truth​.​ Gays will never​ disap​pear-​-​Hitle​r tried​ (​look up the origi​n of the pink trian​gle)​ and we are still​ here.​ We are your frien​ds,​ your  famil​y,​ and your fello​w Ameri​cans.​

Pleas​e don't shoot​ this down.​
Discr​imina​tion needs​ to end now and we can make a difference​.​

Even if amend​ment 2 doesn'​t pass this time-​-​this is a HUGE step for Flori​da and I beg of you to look into your heart​s and souls​ to make the right​ decis​ion.​

btw-​-​the longe​r we dont have the SAME right​s as every​one else in this count​ry-​-​inclu​ding convi​cts-​-​we will keep havin​g our gay right​s parad​es and soon enoug​h-​-​we may march​ down your stree​t.​

Pass this on if you belie​ve anyth​ing i said-​-​i would​ appreciate​ it.

As much as i would​ like the right​ to marry​ my domes​tic partn​er-​-​I would​ like to see futur​e gener​ation​s of brill​iant and talen​ted young​ men and women​ to have a bette​r life-​-​a bette​r futur​e-​-​ the same futur​e you want for your kids.​

peace​ out.

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px">YES ON AMENDMENT 2<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px"> 

gingerbread       Vancouver

I just read this on Equality Florida's website (see below).

Amendment 2: (Marriage amendment)

While Amendment 1 aims to fight bigotry, Amendment 2 -- placed on the ballot by citizen initiative -- would foster prejudice. Even worse, it's deceptively worded so as to hide its true scope. Voters should see through this cynical ruse to draw ultra-right voters to the polls in a high-stakes presidential election year.

The amendment bills itself as "marriage protection." Its supporters say it's meant to keep Florida from being forced into recognizing unions between same-sex partners. Malarkey -- state law already bans same-sex unions in four different statutes, using language that has withstood legal challenge in other states.

But the real problems with this amendment go further than supporters are willing to admit. Legal analysts say it could be used to block companies that provide benefits for unmarried partners -- regardless of whether such unions are homosexual or heterosexual. It would needlessly tangle "Golden Girl"-style arrangements that allow seniors to share living accommodations while preserving inheritance rights for their descendents, and could also complicate child-custody arrangements for thousands of unmarried parents in Florida.

This amendment is heartless and pointless. The main beneficiaries: Attorneys who would reap fees from the endless litigation this amendment could spawn.

RECOMMENDATION: No on Amendment 2.

loralie    April 25, 2009   Estes Park, CO

Thanks Gingerbread. . .I just got an email this morning with a link to the actual website describing the amendment. . . while my friend's letter was abolutely from the heart, you are totally correct - the appropriate recommendation on amendment 2 is to vote NO.  

I really don't know exactly how the misunderstanding happened, but I absolutely apologize for any confusion that resulted.   

loralie    April 25, 2009   Estes Park, CO

So I just did what I wish I would have done last night - I researched Amendment 2.  From my understanding, if Amendment 2 is not passed, it will keep the door open so that hopefully, at some point in the not so distant future, gay marriage may be legalized in Florida.  

The website I found that explains Amendment 2 was written by those in support of it.  It made me sad just reading it - I found myself feeling sorry for the authors - it must be dark in there being so closed-minded.