Will you write your Congressmen re: Marriage Amendment?

[Norquist Nemesis]

I wrote every one of my Illinois reps on my opinion of a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

"After just watching President Bush on TV, I urge you as my Representative to NOT support a Constitutional amendment regarding the definition of marriage. Setting aside the expense of the effort, this would be the first time in the history of this great nation that our Constitution would be changed to DENY rights to its citizens and clearly discriminate.

I am not gay and have no gay agenda. I do not have gay children or (as far as I know) any gay relatives. I have been happily married for over 23 years. I am absolutely positive that gay marriage will not break up my marriage, increase my taxes, threaten my children, or undermine my core beliefs and morality.

Again, I speak as one of your constituents from Illinois to inform you that I DO NOT SUPPORT A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN GAY MARRIAGE. (period emphasized) Further, any of my representatives that choose to fight in favor of an amendment dealing with defining marriage will not receive a single dime of my money OR my vote toward being elected."

Will you write yours too?

[dixiechiken]

1. You betcha I will!

I couldn't stop screaming at the TV the entire time that fascist SOB was spewing his bigotry ... I hate him like poison. I fear for us all and can't shake this feeling of dread that we are in sooooooo much trouble if KKKarl manages to pull off another Diebold coup. The capability for hatred possessed by these people chills me to my very soul.

Ummmm, BTW liburl ... I can't help but appreciate the concise yet strong wording of your letter. Short, sweet and to the point. Mind if I plagiarize a bit? ;)

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Thanks!

Feel free to mass produce it if you'ld like!

[dixiechiken]

28. Thanks, liburl! I used your letter as the foundation ...

But realized I had more to say, so this is the final copy I ended up with ...



After having just witnessed President Bush's speech on television supporting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, I urge you as my Representative to oppose writing intolerance into our U.S. Constitution by opposing any amendment seeking to discriminate against and deny rights to, any portion of our citizenry.

None of our current constitutional amendments restrict individual freedoms; rather, they have been the source of most of the protections guaranteeing individual liberty rights to every American, equally and without exception. This proposed amendment, by contrast, would reverse the constitutional tradition of protecting, not harming, individual freedoms by denying protection for the most personal decisions made by millions of families.

The likely monetary expense of the effort required to pass such an amendment notwithstanding, (an expense which we can ill afford, need you be reminded), I believe that this proposed government attempt to legislate morality by so narrowly defining the terms of love, union and commitment will prove similar to the Iraq war in that it will be more costly to this great nation than is being considered. Couple this proposed amendment with President Bush's prior statements proclaiming himself to be "a uniter, not a divider," and not only will the credibility of the President's words and abilities to lead a great and diverse people suffer, so will the credibility of our country itself as the global leader of justice, tolerance and democracy suffer.

I am not gay and have no "gay agenda." I do not have gay children or (as far as I know) any gay relatives. I have been happily married for over 3 years. I believe that gay marriage is and should remain an issue best decided as a matter of State's rights. I can also say without reservation that any legal instance of gay marriage will not break up my marriage, increase my taxes, threaten my children, undermine my core beliefs and morality or rain upon me the wrath of fire and brimstone.

Again, I speak as one of your constituents to inform you that, I DO NOT SUPPORT A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN GAY MARRIAGE. Further, any of my representatives that choose to fight in favor of an amendment dealing with defining marriage will not receive a single dime of my money and will not receive my vote in future elections.



Whaddya think?

[Norquist Nemesis]

29. Definite improvement!

Thanks for the compliment...you did a great job and enhanced it in a thoughtful, meaningful way. You ROCK!!!

[porkrind]

32. Thanks!

I used your letter with my own comments to write to both my senators and my congressman.

[Kahuna]

2. I won't have to. My representatives are not neanderthals.

Go, Jon Corzine, Frank Lautenberg and Donald Payne. With shout outs to Frank Pallone and Bob Menendez (not my reps but cool NJers nevertheless).

[nickinSTL]

6. write to reps

Lucky you. I've got Jim Talent and Kit Bond as my Senators. I'll write, but it won't do any good.

I've got a much better chance with my Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay of St. Louis.

[woofless]

13. Two more reasons I do not miss MO, Nick.

Talent and Bond. YECCCHHHHHH!

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Give them a thank you then

and express your support of their position. BTW, could you clone them and send them to Illinois, Pleeaaseeee?

[calimary]

24. Doesn't matter. You should contact them ANYWAY.

They need to hear that there are people against this, to bolster their own opposition. Believe me, they're gonna hear an earful from the Dark Side. You NEED TO COUNTERACT THAT, so they don't start wavering! CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS for their spines are urgently needed, ALWAYS! Even if they're good guys. I called Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer AND Henry Waxman, all of my people. They're against it, already, but I wanted to make sure they had company, support, and approval.

Do NOT assume for ONE MOMENT that they can't be swayed. Look what happened with the Iraq War Resolution and the Patriot Act - even among some of our finest. They need to be nagged about this, too, even if only to be told that they're doing the correct thing.

Check my sig line for a way to do so, for FREE!

on edit - I just called her office, MYSELF. And I told her that it's just AWFUL that anyone would consider putting discrimination into our sacred documents!

[LiberalFighter]

26. I emailed my Senators... they tend to be neanderthals.

My Senators are Lugar and Evan Bayh...

Advice to all... DO NOT encourage Evan Bayh for our VP.

[NewJerseyDem]

34. You're lucky

I have Mike Ferguson as my congressman who just became a cosponser of the amendment. Ferguson is very right wing on basically everything but the environment where is kind of good.

This is a list of cosponsors for anyone else who cares about their rep.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d108:2:./temp/~bdpsY9:@@@P|/bss/d108query.html|

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SJ00026:@@@P|/bss/d108query.html|

[mojo2004]

3. How about writing your Presidential Candidate too....

...

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. In the primary

I'm still voting for Dean. As to the presidential candidate, I'll make a note to write after July.

[maggrwaggr]

4. why take the bait?

this is nothing but GOP bait. It's designed to distract the media and cause a fire so we can all ignore the fact that Bush has practically burned the country to the ground.

Why fan the flames of a distraction fire?

I say keep on the issues at hand. The fact that Bush lied about the war, lied about 9/11, keeps getting our soldiers killed, and is outsourcing our jobs at a breathtaking rate.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. It is now one of the issues.

Like it or not, Bush has thrown more shit out there and is trying to make something stick. This is too important not to act on it.

[maggrwaggr]

10. you're letting them define the terms of the debate

which is what they ALWAYS do, then we always complain about it, then we always take the bait when they do it again.

:eyes:

Time to stop that train and keep on the offensive.

[Norquist Nemesis]

11. We complain about it

because we have always allowed them to put all of their rhetoric out there without attacking it from the get go. To once again sit on our hands would be allowing them to define the terms.

[maggrwaggr]

12. going on the defensive is the mistake

we need to laugh at them and say "is that all you GOT?"

540 servicemen dead in Iraq -- is that all you GOT?

People coming out of the woodwork saying you lied about the reasons we went to Iraq and this is all you GOT?

Thousands of jobs being exported from this country every day and this is all you GOT?

[calimary]

23. So here's how you REFRAME the debate:

You call them up (using the toll free number in my sig line) and say you DO NOT WANT US, here in America, TO PUT DISCRIMINATION into our CONSTITUTION. Tell 'em it's downright UNAMERICAN!!! AND CERTAINLY UNPATRIOTIC!!!

Throw it back in their faces. THAT is the ONLY way you beat a bully. Hit 'em back, and hit 'em back HARD.

[MrChupon]

14. I don't think my Rep, Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), will listen

Seeing how she is leading the charge for a constituional amendment in the House. It makes me sick to my stomach that the people of my community gave that awful woman a shred of power.

Also, while not nearly as hateful, the 18th amendment also denied rights to the citizens of the USA. We all see how well that turned out.

[newyawker99]

21. Hi MrChupon!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[calimary]

25. Doesn't matter. She needs to know that not every one of her constituents

is a fellow knuckle-dragger. She, too, comes up for rehire every two years and she needs votes. YOURS IS ONE OF THEM!!! She could use a reminder of that. Urgently, I'd say.

Believe me, she's gonna hear a whole lot of "attagirls" from the dark side. I bet they're calling her in droves. YOU need to provide a little balance to offset some of that.

Do NOT for one instant think this isn't important, and PLEASE don't give up because she's a knuckle-dragger. Remind her of what just happened in Kentucky, with that GOP congresswoman who ran in a special election by wrapping herself around bush, and hyping how big a supporter she was of him. She got BEATEN! Replaced by a Democrat! I am sorry, I forget her name. But it JUST happened within the last couple of weeks or so.

It's worth the try. If you use the number in my sig line, it won't cost you anything.

And, by the way, Welcome to DU!

[Razoor]

15. I'll write my reps and senators

too bad I live in Georgia where I have two repubs as senators
Miller is really a Republican in Democrats clothing and chambliss is a repub. My rep in the house is a republican Phil Gingrey so I dont think they would listen but I'll write anyway probably get some stupid form letter back.

also does anyone know the 800 number for the congress switchboard I'll call too

[Norquist Nemesis]

30. You need a hug and a medal of honor

You poor thing...Miller??? :puke:

Maybe copy your local newspaper editor as an Open Letter to Zell. It might cause a firestorm in your town paper, but you'll likely not be the only one writing into the paper. Plus, if your area is anything like mine, this country needs more liberal voices putting their opinions out there in print.

"1 (800) 839 - 5276 - TOLL FREE Capitol Hill Switchboard number! They'll transfer you to any House/Senate office you name!" (Thanks Calimary--and Welcome! :wave:)

[liberalitch]

16. with the exception of Rep. Bobby Scott

I don't think my Senators can read.... Maybe I can send a pictogram....
Like two male (or two female) stick figures in top hats inside a "NO" circle (You know a circle with a slash), inside another "NO" circle (Double negative.... get it)

[havocmom]

17. Congressional reps and letters to editors of newspapers

Regulate boardrooms not bedrooms

How many jobs, pensions and retirement investments have been lost due to questionable policy decisions and agendas in the boardrooms of America's corporate giants?

What real damage is done to anyone in America if loving, committed gay couples are afforded the same rights and protections as their neighbors?

Where is the real threat? Life long, same sex partners going public and enjoying the same rights as opposite sex partners? They pose no threat to anyone. How about greedy CEOs driving companies into the ground, displacing workers and pensions and engaging in insider trading, selling their stocks off while encouraging others to buy, knowing that it is a swindle... are these people threats? You betcha!

How about the threat of political hacks who would treat the Constitution of the US as a mere campaign tool? Are these people threats? YES!

Regulate boardrooms not bedrooms

[maggrwaggr]

18. write to them about this instead

this is where we can hang Bush:

LA Weekly: News: Soldier for the Truth

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/13/news-cooper.php

[calimary]

22. This is also excellent.

But it's good to nag them. By the way, IN ADDITION TO writing, check my sig line - you can call 'em for free! You can call somebody else's congress-critter for free, too! All day long! No limits! Or at least, none that I've found, and I've used this number a LOT.

By the way, it's a fun and evil way to beat the occasional snot-nose staffer who answers the phone in some of the republi-CONS' offices. Twice I had such people try to argue with me, at length, when I called (Susan Collins' office and Orrin Hatch's office). I suspect they probably figured, since I was one of the "enemy," the least they could do to "get" me was to run up my phone bill. I rather enjoyed tying up THEIRS for as long as they wanted to play.

[SaveElmer]

19. I wrote too - Virginia

Don't think it will do any good...appealed to them on states rights grounds...but I am sure pressure from BFEE will be too strong!!!

Maybe an outside shot with Warner

[Scottie72]

20. I could try

Jo-Amn Davis is an original sponsor of the amendment. I think I might call her office and let them know my outrage!

[dawn]

27. I did!!

[saltpoint]

31. The letter is almost done --

-- & should go out tomorrow.

People should consider writing to their local newspaper, too. Give people something to think about at the beauty parlor and barber shop.

[buddhamama]

33. i've written my Rep.

a few times and He, Michael Michaud of ME, has assured me that he will not vote in favor of such an ammendment.