By | January 13, 2008
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Dear Governor Schwarzenegger –

As an American, I was taught that the freedom to express ones beliefs is fundamental to our society. But I was also taught that expression brings responsibility, and abuse brings consequences. Abraham Lincoln summed this up when he said “Those who deny freedom deserve it not for themselves.” This weekend, we got a real-life demonstration of what happens when people believe in denying freedom to others.

Episcopal Bishop John-David Schofield of San believes that gay people should be banned from performing sermons, confirmations and rites. He recently led his diocese away from the national church on this issue, to ally with an Anglican church based in Buenos Aires.

The Episcopal Church responded by, appropriately, banning him from performing sermons, confirmations and rites.

I wish you would stand up for freedom, Governor, by identifying the Republicans who want to block lesbian and gay couples from marriage, and proclaim that their marriages are annulled. It would be no more arbitrary than annulling my marriage, which you did in 2004, and certainly teach a better lesson about commitment than banning committed relationships.

As Lincoln realized, the consequence of “doing unto others” is to be “done unto.” Won’t you see to it that justice is done?

Yours,

ATTACHMENT: Public Officials who have endorsed a ban on my marriage

Public Officials to be Banned from Marriage

State Senators
Senator Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Ackerman
Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Redding) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Aanestad
Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield ) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Ashburn
Senator James Battin, Jr. (R-La Quinta) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Battin
Senator John Campbell (R-Irvine) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Campbell
Senator Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Cox
Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Denham
Senator Bob Dutton (R-San Bernadino) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Dutton
Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R- El Cajon) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Hollingsworth
Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Maldonado
Senator Bob Margett (R-Arcadia) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Margett
Senator Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/McClintock
Senator Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Morrow
Senator Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Poochigian
Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley) – http://www.senate.ca.gov/Runner
Senator Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Wyland

Assembly Members
Assemblyman Greg Aghzarian (R-Stockton) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Aghazarian
Assemblyman John Benoit (R-Palm Desert) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Benoit
Assemblyman Russ Bogh (R-Yucaipa) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Bogh
Assemblyman Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Cogdill
Assemblyman Chuck Devore (R-Irvine) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/DeVore
Assemblyman Bill Emmerson (R-Redlands) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Emmerson
Assemblyman Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Harman
Assemblyman Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Houston
Assemblyman Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Huff
Assemblyman Rick Keene (R-Chico) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Keene
Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa (R-Biggs) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/LaMalfa
Assemblyman Jay LaSuer (R-LaMesa) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/LaSuer
Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Maze
Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy (R-Monrovia) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Mountjoy
Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Nakanishi
Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Sacramento) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Niello
Assemblyman George Plescia (R-San Diego) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Plescia
Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Runner
Assemblywoman Audra Strickland (R-Camarillo) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Strickland
Assemblyman Van Tran (R-Costa Mesa) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Tran
Assemblyman Michael Villines (R-Clovis) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Villines
Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel) – http://www.assembly.ca.gov/Walters

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