Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Pro Bono Publicum

Much as I feel like a very old lady when I do so, I have been making an occasional habit of writing to public officials, and sometimes to newspaper editors. Good grief. Anyway, my latest is below. I urge any of you to do the same if you want to get your elderhood on....

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Dear Mr. Schwarzenegger,

I am writing as a gay California resident to tell you that with your promise to veto AB 43, you have perpetuated policies and laws that make me feel like a second-class citizen.

Instead of being at the forefront of equality and human rights, you have instead pandered to bigotry, fear, hatred, and divisiveness.

It is a shame -- and a disgrace -- that you did not choose to advance the cause of civil rights in the State of California and the nation.

Instead, you are a coward and unworthy of any respect as a political figure or a leader.

Today, you are teaching another generation of gay and lesbian children that they will continue to be less worthy than their peers and that they are unequal. Shame on you.

Is this the message you want to send to your own children if they are gay or lesbian? Shame.

Sincerely,

Me

7 comments:

m00nchild said...

He's also ensuring that another generation of children grow up to hate Republicans and ensure that they lose in future elections, too.

I can't even watch most of his movies anymore, they just repel me so.

Salty Miss Jill said...

Thank you for writing this. More people (including me) should follow your lead. Every bit counts.

xoSMJ

Dave said...

This makes me wish my governor was doing something really anti-gay just so I could write her a letter. Fortunately, I live in Louisiana, which as I'm sure you've heard is like a big gay paradise.

Anonymous said...

Good letter. Every little bit does help, I think.

By the way, it's "publico."

The Angry Young Man said...

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger;

I am writing to you as a Californian who is very deeply disturbed by your threat to veto AB 43. While I understand that you are a member of the Republican Party and thus beholden to the wishes of a constituency that rejects homosexuals and the very idea that this group of people deserve any rights at all, let alone the right to legally sanctioned marriage, I feel compelled to point out that your publicly stated reasons for choosing to veto this bill are not logical.

You have stated that you will not sign this bill unless voters overturn an anti-gay marriage initiative that Californians adopted in 2000. While that particular initiative can be construed as opposition to gay marriage altogether, I believe you are fully aware that this particular initiative was intended to apply to marriages undertaken outside the state. No where does it say that it would apply to marriages entered into in California. Your reliance on this excuse is disingenuous. Furthermore, if the members of the legislature, as duly elected representatives of the people of this state, are not voicing the will of the people, then what purpose do they serve in our so-called democracy? Twice the elected representatives of the people of California have presented you with their demand to legalize this most basic of human rights for a persecuted and oppressed minority and twice you will turn your back on them. "It would be wrong for the people to vote for something and for me to then overturn it," you claim. Isn't that what you're doing now?

The civil rights of minorities in this country have never been determined by a vote of the majority. To accept the fact that our courts and legislatures lead the way in establishing equality for minorities like Blacks and women and then to turn around and insist that the majority should now decided whether another group should be afforded equality flies in the face of our constitutional tradition. Frankly, it's un-American. If the majority should be allowed to decided whether homosexuals deserve basic human rights, perhaps they should be allowed to determine the same thing for all minorities, from Blacks to women to immigrants like yourself. After all, that would only be fair and democratic.

Once again I strongly urge you to sign AB 43. Return to the so-called center you beseech your fellow Republicans to seek out. In other words, don't be a hypocrite.

Sincerely,

The Angry Young Man

Anonymous said...

That was good, too, AYM.

Papagayo said...

I feel old when I write letters to the editor and to my reps as well. Not as old as when I rifle through my damn change purse (provided by Lamda Legal) to get exact change. Nice succinct letter.