|
On Monday, February 28,
2005 Rev. Sandy Williams, Chair of the Coalition for Marriage and Paul
Madore, leader of the Maine Grassroots Coalition, officially met with
two representatives of Maine Governor John Baldacci. They
delivered the following statement.
Regarding Governor John Baldacci’s Intention to
Add Sexual Orientation to Maine Civil Rights Law
WE ARE OFFENDED:
- We are offended
by Governor John Baldacci’s disregard of the will of the people of
Maine who have twice voted on this issue.
- We are offended
by Governor John Baldacci’s lack of interest in hearing the
legitimate and principled concerns of those who do not support the
gay agenda.
- We are offended
by Governor John Baldacci’s characterization of some of Maine’s
foremost religious leaders and citizens as “cuckoo clocks”.
WE ARE OPPOSED to the
introduction of “sexual orientation” into Maine civil rights laws for
many reasons including:
- It is unnecessary
because:
- There is no
widespread or obvious discrimination against anyone on the basis
of sexual orientation (people of whatever sexual preferences are
not noticeably unemployed, homeless or unable to secure credit).
- Homosexuals already
enjoy all the civil rights and liberties enjoyed by other
citizens.
- It is undesirable
because:
- Approving homosexual
behavior leads to gender identity confusion in children,
adolescents, and adults.
- Cultural endorsement
of homosexuality leads to a higher incidence of homosexual
practice and the negative side affects in physical, mental and
social/relational health.
- Caving in to the
homosexual agenda threatens the civil and religious liberties of
those who oppose homosexual practice when sexual diversity
training is mandated in public schools, the workplace, and other
areas of common life.
- It is unwanted by
the people of Maine and a growing number of other states because:
- The stated goal of
many GLBT activists is so-called “gay marriage”, which is a
contradiction in terms. It is impossible to give a person the
right to do something that is impossible.
- It attempts to
normalize what is not normal, and to inhibit the moral and
religious codes which are common to Protestants, Catholics,
Jews, Muslims and others.
- It will lead to the
acceptance of other undesirable sexual unions including
polygamy, transgenerational sex, and incest simply on the basis
that they are consensual and protected as civil rights.
- It results in a
radical redefinition of family.
- Children have a
right to be loved and nurtured by a mother and a father, and the
state ought to do all in its power to promote that natural
right.
WE REQUEST what is necessary,
desirable and wanted:
- That the Governor would
listen to the will of the people and refuse to bow to those who
promote extreme forms of social experimentation.
- That, at the very least,
a referendum requirement be attached to his bill as he had
previously promised.
- That the Governor
invests his energy in promoting a marriage preservation amendment to
the Maine Constitution.
Pastor Sandy
Williams, Coalition for Marriage February 28, 2005
From Same-Sex
Matters: The Challenge of Homosexuality edited by Christopher Wolfe
(Spence Publishing Company, 2000).
|
