Posted by
Team Turk on Friday, September 29, 2006 6:42:10 PM
Reading the article in the Kansas City Star regarding Emanuel Cleaver’s frustration with the millions of Missourians concerned with the marriage amendment, I was struck by the lack of empathy Reverend Cleaver has for a large portion of his constituents here in the 5th District.
Hundreds of thousands of the folks in this district, myself included, believe marriage between a man and a woman to be a cornerstone of stability for raising children in our society. It is an issue which does matter and makes a difference in how our society operates. I was disappointed that it was the author of the article who had to point out that marriage is a social contract governed by the state. Mr. Cleaver’s point of view on the issue and its impact on our society is short sighted.
The illogical argument of “Why not just put all the sacraments in the Constitution?” shows a lack of knowledge of what has happened to the social fabric in the western European countries where gay marriage became the law of the land. Marriage as an institution has disintegrated in those countries. It has lost its meaning as a holy sacrament AND a social contract.
What we make legal we get more of. If gay marriage becomes the law of our land, we will get more of it and it will tear at the traditional fabric of our country, because it starts us down the path that all unions are equal, that a man and a woman coming together is just one of many combinations that are equivalent - man and man, woman and woman, man and 2 women, woman and dolphin (this has happened in England).
Western Europe has shown once this happens co-habitation increases dramatically and choas in the lives of children grows. Social science has shown children in gay and lesbian households have social problems at the same rate as those raised by singe parents. Being a single parent myself for over 12 years, I understand the struggles and how difficult it is to give children all they need when one gender is absent. Marriage between a man and woman has been set aside as a special institution by both God and man over thousands of years of human history. It deserves our protection as a cornerstone of stability for our democracy.
We need a representative who recognizes those who disagree with him do hold a valid viewpoint and deserve to be respected and listened to, not belittled as intolerant and being concerned about an unimportant issue.
While I will not agree with every constituent I represent in Congress, I believe my constituents deserve respect as thinking human beings with valid viewpoints.
Jacob Turk