My unanswered letter to Sen. Obama

[plantwomyn]

Sen. Obama,
I have read your answers to the HRC Presidential Questionnaire and was very disappointed.
The problem I have with your answer is that as of this date 26 states have indeed passed a form of the “Family Marriage Amendment”. 19 states have laws restricting marriage to one man and one woman.
Before Loving v. Virginia the “question” of marriage was one that historically had been left to the states. The trial judge in Virginia was quoted in Loving v. Virginia as stating in his opinion "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix." Today a statement like this would nullify the credibility of a judge. Yet today the same sentiment is being espoused and I have heard members of Congress from both Houses invoke much the same religious reasoning to oppose same-sex marriage.
After Loving, states could no longer have marriage laws which discriminate based on race. Again from Loving v. Virginia “The most avid proponents of the post-War Amendments undoubtedly intended them to remove all legal distinctions among `all persons born or naturalized in the United States.'” This decision heavily relied on the court’s interpretation of the 14 Amendment. I think this proves that the federal government has “historically” ruled against a state’s right to discriminate against `all persons born or naturalized in the United States.'
So you see the Supreme Court of the United States of America has already stifled “a state’s ability to decide this question on its own.”
I am a Citizen of the United States of America. I was born a lesbian. I am entirely too intelligent to have CHOSSEN to be a lesbian. I have too much love for my family to have put them through the hardships of a CHOICE like that. I am too proud an American and hold my Constitutional rights too dearly to have VOLENTREERED to be a second class citizen.
So please explain to me why you refuse to acknowledge my Constitutional rights? I do not begrudge “fundamentalists” the word “marriage”. Let them have it! I do have a problem when I am denied the “civil institution of marriage” and the 1,049 “federal laws in which benefits, rights, and privileges are contingent in marital status” which in my opinion violations of the equal protections clause of the constitution. Please read the GAO’s Jan 23, 2004 report 04-353R which lists 89 additions to those violations, to total 1,138!
The next President of the U.S. MUST lead this country away from divisiveness and MUST include all of our citizens as equal members of our society. I wait for the day in this country when there are NO “issues” about the basic civil rights of any citizen. If you need moral reasoning read Reflections on “Marriage Equality” by John H. Thomas, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ, Sept, 2005.
This is the most well thought out, inclusive and spiritually based argument for marriage equality I have ever read. http://www.ucc.org/assets/pdfs/marreflect.pdf I hope you will reevaluate you stance on this “issue” and answer my question with an affirmation of your support for equal rights for ALL Americans.

Since I sent this Sen. Obama took the stage with Donnie McClurkin at his inappropriately named "Embrace the Change" concert. Sen. Obama has hedged questions about that decision by saying that he wants to "reach out to those who have different attitudes" and then "to teach" them about diversity.
I want to ask those here a few questions.

What does he teach a gay person when they see Sen. Obama accept the endorsement of someone who preaches against their "lifestyle"?
Since Sen. Obama taught constitutional law how can he think that "separate but equal" for same sex couples is constitutional?

I challenge all of those in this group too answer these questions and to show me a reason why this man should get my vote for president.

BTW - I noticed that the Christian Knights (KKK) were not invited to the concert so they could be taught about diversity. After all they are our "brothers and sisters" too.