And then Lorr wrote a letter to her representative:
Represent me!
"November 16, 2008
Speaker of the House Richard Thompson
Room 234M, Building 1
State Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25305
Speaker.Thompson@verizon.net Dear Richard Thompson,
I am writing to request two things:
1. Support for comprehensive non-discrimination legislation.
2. Opposition to any legislation discriminating against same-sex marriage in West Virginia.
I heard through the ACLU that 1) there is legislation pending to ban gay marriage in West Virginia and 2) the West Virginia Southern Baptist Convention has enlisted to help support this ban. Both matters upset me for many reasons.
First, an individual’s sexual orientation is a private matter, just like his or her choice of sexual activity. What consenting adults choose to do behind closed doors is their own business, and so is their preference of men or women. Neither of these personal preferences deprive other people of their rights or force their consent, so I don’t think it is the government’s place to interfere with any aspect of our private lives.
Second, legislation (like California’s Prop 8) that bans same-sex marriages blatantly discriminates against citizens based on their sexual orientation. The last time I checked, it was illegal to discriminate against anyone based on his or her race, national origin, sex, religion, political views, etc. Why not include prejudice based on sexual orientation? It deprives same-sex couples of the same equality and freedom and is therefore completely unconstitutional. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to strip other individuals of equality based on this opinion.
Third, enlisting the WV Southern Baptist Convention directly involves religion with legislation, therefore violating the separation of church and state. I have no problem with the practice of religion as long as it does not negatively affect the freedom or rights of others, which is why I oppose this. Allowing any religious institution to influence the law based on its beliefs is pushing personal faith on the rights of other citizens. In this case, the direct involvement of church and state would further enable this discriminatory legislation to deprive same-sex couples of basic equal rights, but based on religious views.
I hope you choose to support comprehensive legislation for same-sex marriage and oppose any legislation that promotes discrimination. By doing so, you will be contributing to the current civil rights campaign and bringing equality, justice, and happiness to people who continue to be unjustly persecuted based on their personal preference.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jessica E. Murphy
xxx xxxxxxxxx xx • MORGANTOWN, WV • 26505
PHONE: (304) xxx-xxxx •
CRUITHEAR@HOTMAIL.COM"
And then some quiz results:
What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Midland
"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have?Quiz Created on GoToQuiz West Virginia...