Dear Governor Schwarzenegger -
As an American and as a parent, I believe government should not interfere with individual choices. My personal beliefs are echoed in the California Republican Party Platform, which says: "As Republicans, we believe the home should remain the central place for individual decision-making, and issues impacting the family should not be handed over to intrusive government bureaucrats. ... [P]arents are most capable of making decisions for and about their children ... the CRP opposes any effort to weaken parents' freedom of decision and choice."
Imagine my surprise when I found a list of lawmakers -- Republicans all -- who have taken a different vow, by supporting the Protect Marriage campaign "in defense of marriage." This heartless master says: "We oppose granting to homosexuals special privileges, including marriage, domestic partnership benefits, and child custody or adoption."
As a homosexual American and proud parent, let me be clear: such an initiative does not just merely subvert my individual decision-making, but sets out to deliberately destroy my family outright.
You know these people, Governor. They are your colleagues and friends. Yet they have compromised their party and their conscience to pursue a path which is reprehensible. I don't want you to ask them to abandon their beliefs: I want you to ask them to choose which belief they really support: their belief that gay people should be excluded from our economy and society, or that all individuals should have the same freedom of personal choice, especially in who they marry.
Yours,
ATTACHMENT: lawmakers who endorse the "protect marriage" campaign
ProtectMarriage.com Coalition Endorsements
State Senators
Senator Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin) - www.senate.ca.gov/Ackerman
Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Redding) - www.senate.ca.gov/Aanestad
Senator Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield ) - www.senate.ca.gov/Ashburn
Senator James Battin, Jr. (R-La Quinta) - www.senate.ca.gov/Battin
Senator John Campbell (R-Irvine) - www.senate.ca.gov/Campbell
Senator Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks) - www.senate.ca.gov/Cox
Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced) - www.senate.ca.gov/Denham
Senator Bob Dutton (R-San Bernadino) - www.senate.ca.gov/Dutton
Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R- El Cajon) - www.senate.ca.gov/Hollingsworth
Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) - www.senate.ca.gov/Maldonado
Senator Bob Margett (R-Arcadia) - www.senate.ca.gov/Margett
Senator Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) - www.senate.ca.gov/McClintock
Senator Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside) - www.senate.ca.gov/Morrow
Senator Charles Poochigian (R-Fresno) - www.senate.ca.gov/Poochigian
Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley) - www.senate.ca.gov/Runner
Senator Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Wyland
Assembly Members
Assemblyman Greg Aghzarian (R-Stockton) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Aghazarian
Assemblyman John Benoit (R-Palm Desert) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Benoit
Assemblyman Russ Bogh (R-Yucaipa) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Bogh
Assemblyman Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Cogdill
Assemblyman Chuck Devore (R-Irvine) - www.assembly.ca.gov/DeVore
Assemblyman Bill Emmerson (R-Redlands) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Emmerson
Assemblyman Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Harman
Assemblyman Guy Houston (R-San Ramon) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Houston
Assemblyman Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Huff
Assemblyman Rick Keene (R-Chico) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Keene
Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa (R-Biggs) - www.assembly.ca.gov/LaMalfa
Assemblyman Jay LaSuer (R-LaMesa) - www.assembly.ca.gov/LaSuer
Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Maze
Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy (R-Monrovia) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Mountjoy
Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi (R-Lodi) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Nakanishi
Assemblyman Roger Niello (R-Sacramento) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Niello
Assemblyman George Plescia (R-San Diego) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Plescia
Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Runner
Assemblywoman Audra Strickland (R-Camarillo) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Strickland
Assemblyman Van Tran (R-Costa Mesa) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Tran
Assemblyman Michael Villines (R-Clovis) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Villines
Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel) - www.assembly.ca.gov/Walters
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Senator Ashburn Rant - Everyone's A Little Bit Gayby LapanceAcademy2,541 views
Go figure George and Sharon Runner are both on this list of bigots. They have cost the state of CA and the people in it enough of our money and honor. Leaders like this make us look primitive and uneducated in their hate and fear-mongering efforts. They claim to be 'tax advocates' for the people but really they spend more on unconstitutional and often unwise or illegal legislation and efforts than any Democrat or Green or Progressive in the state. They need to find their way OUT of office!
msqared80 6 months ago
I suppot you man! Audra and Tony Strickland are all but distroying California, I am working for the equal rights of Equal people.
chrisgojai420 2 years ago