Amendment Three
My name is Amber Wilson and I am a student at Weber State University, in Ogden. My contact information: Phone Number – (307)331-0303. I am sending this letter in hopes of it being published as I feel that it is vital that the people of this state understand both sides of the story. Understandably, the article is rather long, and will probably be cut down, all I ask is that any cutting does not destroy the intent of what I am trying to say. Also, I ask that the article maintains its stronger arguments, that are vital to the entire picture. Other than that, I will accept the cutting down of the article. It would be greatly appreciated by many in the community if this article would be published, thank you.
Dear UtahRecently, the Church went out of its way to make an announcement through the state, and what a surprise that announcement was. Actually, there was no surprise. It was absolutely obvious that the Mormon Church would be against homosexuality. The only way the would have surprised me would have been if they had said vote no on Amendment three, that is the only way. That was not going to happen, so there was no real point in the announcement. However, since the Church decided to make such a “public relations” move on the issue, I am going to respond back.The main issue this refers to is the Constitutional Amendment Number Three which amends the Utah Constitution to add two provisions related to marriage. First, the Amendment states that marriage consists only of the legal union between a man and a woman. Second, it states that no other domestic union may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equal legal effect. Gay marriage has been a hot topic for many states, and has been this way for several years now, since it picked up speed in 1998 when President Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act. However, there are many problems with these amendments and acts that the people need to realize.First is the fact that in 1978, the United States Supreme Court declared marriage to be “of fundamental importance to all individuals” (Zablocki v. Redhail). The court described marriage as “one of the ‘basic civil rights of man'” and “the most important relation in life.” The court also noted that “the right to marry is part of the fundamental ‘right to privacy'” in the U.S. Constitution. If it’s a fundamental right, then shouldn’t everyone be granted that right? That is what most people would agree to on many other issues but not this one. What I wonder is why? Which brings me to a second issue, both for and against gay marriage, and that is religion.The main argument, and what many of the readers believe, is that homosexuality is a sin. The belief is that they should not be married because it is against their religion. However, there are many forms of discrimination that were once backed up by the bible, such as against gender and race. Even so, that does not make it right to discriminate. Secondly, if anyone has actually read the U.S. Constitution, or even the Utah one, they would have noticed a little section about religious freedom. In the Utah Constitution it actually states that “The State shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…. There shall be no union of Church and State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions.” And so based upon this, the Amendment is unconstitutional in two ways. By passing it, the government is saying that Christianity, particularly the Mormon faith, is the only correct faith. It is also ignoring other religions that allow same-sex marriage. Yes, there are religions that do allow such unions, one of them being Wicca, which the U.S. Supreme Court declared was a valid religion.With all the constitutionality aside, what do the people for the amendment even believe that they are protecting by passing this kind of legislation? I havve noticed from the commercials and such that they believe that they are protecting the traditional family, which is supposedly important to families in Utah. My question is: What is a traditional family? If it is the mother, father, and kids scenario, then I am completely insulted and so should any of my relatives that live here in this state. I have a stepfather, stepgrandfather, stepuncles, and stepsisters, that are a very important part of my family, and so what if it is not the ideal situation, that is life. We are still a happy family who looks out for each other. I know my non-traditional relatives would agree with me on the fact that we are a family and there is no need for the government to tell us otherwise.To conclude my response, I would like to leave the readers with one last issue. You may not agree with the “lifestyle” but when you are getting ready to cast your vote remember this. On 27 October 1838, Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs signed one of the most heinous documents in American history, his Mormon “extermination order,” declaring, “The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated, or driven from the State, if necessary for the public peace” (quoted in History of the Church, 3:175). Mormons are still discriminated against today, from other religions and even other Christian groups. Women did not have the right to vote until an unimportant territory thought initially that the idea was funny and then thought that maybe it would make people want to live there if they gave women the right to vote. Now it is a serious right that women have. Almost everyone has faced, will face, and their ancestors have faced discrimination. Now the time has come for you to decide what you’re going to do with it. Are you going to continue the trend and discriminate on a group of people just because of who they are attracted to, or are you going to take the high road and vote for tolerance?You do not have to agree with whom people are or what they do, but just try to do what is right for the country and the people living in it, and vote No on Amendment 3.