Shifting...
With tears in my eyes, I today watched Governor Howard Dean announce the end of his campaign for President of the United States. Although his decision has left me, and I am sure many other supporters, with a feeling of despair, the light has not gone out all together. I have yet to find much about Kerry to excite me, I have found some points of Edwards platform worth looking into. Although he is not perfect (is anyone?) there is potential. Today, I sent him this e-mail.
"Hi. My name is Kevin Hickey and I've been a devout Dean backer from the moment I heard his name a little over a year ago. But I've kept up with the other candidates, making sure I was backing the candidate that best supported my views.
"I strongly support the ideas Senator Edwards has, and am ready to shift my support to Edwards now that Dean has backed off his campaign. I must admit, I had tears in my eyes as Dean made his announcement today. Why? Because I believe Dean was the best candidate to end the tyranny our country has faced these past three years under the dictatorship of George W. Bush.
"I have some concerns, however, over Senator Edwards committment to equality, especially pertaining to gay rights, and more specifically, same-sex marriage. I understand Edwards is against a constitutional ammendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, that support is not enough.
"When the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court determined "that only full, equal marriage rights for gay couples -- rather than civil unions -- are constitutional," the four judges went on to say, "The history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal."
"This is perhaps one of the most profound statements I've ever heard supporting same sex marriage. What is marriage? That is a question we really need to look at. Our constitution gurantees every American the right to chose religion, whether to have it in their lives or not, and not be persecuted for it. But time and time again, the definition of marriage has come from the church, and therefore, has violated every American's rights, even those that support the church.
"Marriage, in the United States, is a fundamental right that allows couples certain rights that singles do not have. It is not based on religion, or rather, it shouldn't be. "Seperate but equal" is simply not good enough, and I hope Senator Edwards can realize this. You don't have to agree with it, however, to deny those rights, or to give those rights a different name to different groups is flawed, and frankly, discrimanatory.
"Protect marriage." What, exactly, are we protecting? Is it worth protecting a system that has a failure rate of 50%? Is it worth protecting a system that allows a man and a woman, on a whim, to get married, only to have it eneded within days, all the while a committed same-sex couple cannot enjoy that freedom?
"SEPERATE IS NOT EQUAL.
"I am continuing to evaluate Senator Edwards' platform, and look forward to hearing from him regarding this issue.
"Thank you for your time."
With tears in my eyes, I today watched Governor Howard Dean announce the end of his campaign for President of the United States. Although his decision has left me, and I am sure many other supporters, with a feeling of despair, the light has not gone out all together. I have yet to find much about Kerry to excite me, I have found some points of Edwards platform worth looking into. Although he is not perfect (is anyone?) there is potential. Today, I sent him this e-mail.
"Hi. My name is Kevin Hickey and I've been a devout Dean backer from the moment I heard his name a little over a year ago. But I've kept up with the other candidates, making sure I was backing the candidate that best supported my views.
"I strongly support the ideas Senator Edwards has, and am ready to shift my support to Edwards now that Dean has backed off his campaign. I must admit, I had tears in my eyes as Dean made his announcement today. Why? Because I believe Dean was the best candidate to end the tyranny our country has faced these past three years under the dictatorship of George W. Bush.
"I have some concerns, however, over Senator Edwards committment to equality, especially pertaining to gay rights, and more specifically, same-sex marriage. I understand Edwards is against a constitutional ammendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, that support is not enough.
"When the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court determined "that only full, equal marriage rights for gay couples -- rather than civil unions -- are constitutional," the four judges went on to say, "The history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal."
"This is perhaps one of the most profound statements I've ever heard supporting same sex marriage. What is marriage? That is a question we really need to look at. Our constitution gurantees every American the right to chose religion, whether to have it in their lives or not, and not be persecuted for it. But time and time again, the definition of marriage has come from the church, and therefore, has violated every American's rights, even those that support the church.
"Marriage, in the United States, is a fundamental right that allows couples certain rights that singles do not have. It is not based on religion, or rather, it shouldn't be. "Seperate but equal" is simply not good enough, and I hope Senator Edwards can realize this. You don't have to agree with it, however, to deny those rights, or to give those rights a different name to different groups is flawed, and frankly, discrimanatory.
"Protect marriage." What, exactly, are we protecting? Is it worth protecting a system that has a failure rate of 50%? Is it worth protecting a system that allows a man and a woman, on a whim, to get married, only to have it eneded within days, all the while a committed same-sex couple cannot enjoy that freedom?
"SEPERATE IS NOT EQUAL.
"I am continuing to evaluate Senator Edwards' platform, and look forward to hearing from him regarding this issue.
"Thank you for your time."
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