The Issues:
Marriage Equality
Testimonies in opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment
Earlier this year in Annapolis, Equality Maryland gathered citizens from across the state who oppose amending Maryland's constitution to ban same-sex marriage. These citizens included civil rights leaders, child welfare experts, children and parents of LGBT citizens, constitutional law experts, and others. Click on a name to read that person's full testimony in PDF format.
Kate Oliver and Katie Coyne testify on March 1,
2006.
“You know – time and public sentiment are on our side. I know this and so do you – equality always prevails in this amazing country. So even if you have no personal or professional regard for our families, maybe you should think about your legacy in history.”
“Being gay is not a lifestyle nor is it a choice. It’s how we are created. Discriminating against us and our loved ones, our families and our children by adopting this amendment is wrong. It is senseless. It is cruel.”
“You must be here to do the work of the people by passing laws that better society, bring inclusion and commitment, and offer hope for better tomorrow. This bill does none of the above and only weakens us as a people.”
“This Amendment will create a class of ‘second-class’ citizens, permanently stigmatize an entire group of people, and deny legal rights and protections to Maryland’s citizens.”
Rabbi Sarah Meytin, on behalf of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington
“Having a mother who is a lesbian does not define me. It is part of me, but only as any child’s parents would be. I am lucky to be surrounded by such strong, brave women and they deserve the rights that any couple in love should have.”
“Since the rising of the marriage equality issue on the cultural and political scene, our older son now regularly experiences comments and questions from his peers about the validity and legitimacy of his family.”
“It is my personal opinion that my mom and her partner deserve the chance to make the ultimate commitment in a relationship and get married.... Same-sex couples and their families deserve the right to be protected under the law and to be recognized for the commitments they make to each other every day.”
“Chances are when you were a young person, just starting out, who had dreams of ambitions and in the back of your mind, or maybe the front, you expected to marry some day and build a life together. In time you probably found yourself surrounded by friends and acquaintances who, like you, were just starting out, with many of them married or about to be.... Now think of the person you were when you went to the state to apply for your marriage license and imagine having it refused.”
“I fear this politically charged issue is being turned into a sort of ‘American Idol’ episode where the majority of the voting public gets to decide which civil rights of what minority group sound most harmonious to their ears.”
“This proposed Amendment has no public policy rationale other than prejudice and it falls exclusively on a vulnerable minority. As far as I can tell, the argument for writing marriage discrimination into our Constitution rests on essentially theological premises: God forbids gay marriage; my church opposes it; it violates natural law; and so on. But these arguments reflect a basic confusion about the American Constitution and our framework of liberty.”
“Everyday in my work, I see people who have not been loved by their parents, not been cared for. Love does not hurt children. It is not the structure of the family but the quality of the relationship between the family members.”
“Discrimination begets more discrimination, so we must root it out wherever it appears.”
“A couple of weeks ago, a nine year old was talking to his father after having visited their Senator to urge her to oppose discrimination against their family. She had refused even honoring civil unions while addressing this family of four in her office. On the way home the boy simply commented, ‘She has every right to believe what she wants to believe about our family. But she doesn’t have a right to legislate her fears.’”
Other Testimonies:
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