Social Justice Committee Opposes Amendment 2

On Election Day, November 4, 2008, the voters of Florida will be challenged to elect a President, Members of Congress, State Senators and Representatives, and a raft of local officials. But your Social Justice Committee is especially concerned about the proposed Constitutional Amendment Number 2 that will also appear on the ballot.

Here is the language of the proposed change to the Florida Constitution: “Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.” (emphasis added) The proponents of this change refer to it as the “Marriage Protection Amendment.” But Florida Law already denies same sex couples the right to marry or to adopt children. So how would amending the Constitution “protect marriage?” The truth is it would not. What it would do (in my opinion -- the real intent of the proponents) is ban legal recognition and benefits for all unmarried couples, both gay and straight. Look at the emphasized language above. This would clearly ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, and take away the family protections and benefits that millions of Floridians now receive. Many older Floridians, for sound and practical reasons, have formed domestic partnerships, rather than remarry after they are widowed, so they would not lose needed retirement or survivor’s benefits.

At the 2008 UUA General Assembly, an “Action of Immediate Witness” was passed, urging member congregations to oppose Amendment 2. To UUs throughout Florida, this is not a political issue. It is a moral issue of Social Justice and Fundamental Fairness. This is not support or opposition of a political party or a candidate. We base our position on our UU Principles and on our affirmation of Justice, Equity, and Compassion in human relations. Amendment 2 is both unnecessary and threatening.

In opposing Amendment 2, we find ourselves in good company. Fairness for All Families (FairnessForAllFamilies/VoteNOon2.com) is the coalition of over 240 organizations, including the NAACP, AFL-CIO, SIEU, The United Church of Christ, ACLU, Equality Florida, Planned Parenthood and many other fair-minded organizations.

The Social Justice Committee meets in our Sharon Lee Hiett Library on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. We call this Social Justice Tuesday and we have a time on the agenda when anyone can speak and present ideas. You are invited, one and all, to join us and share. In the meantime, look for us each Sunday in Gore Hall. We have flyers, buttons, and posters to oppose this amendment. Contact Joe DuRocher or Jean Cawelti for more information at \n This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

--Joe DuRocher