A letter to the National Organization for Marriage.
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Quinn, and you have accused me of a constitutional crime. Let me explain.
I grew up in a conservative Christian household, believing everything that the Church stands for and states. When the time came, I chose to attend Wheaton College in Illinois, and what I saw there changed my mind forever. I saw the hypocrisy and two-faced nature of the fundamentalist movement, especially when it came to embracing others who do not agree with Christianity.
None of that is relevant to my current point, however, I believe it is important to state where I'm coming from with this complaint. I know your position, and I understand your fear and distrust of gay marriage.
However, I must step up, as I have been accused of a constitutional crime, a crime against the very basis of our society, the laws on which our country is founded. Your advertisement accuses me of limiting your freedom of speech, something that I myself hold quite dear. I have always been an advocate of this basic inalienable right, and feel personally assaulted that I have been accused of it.
You see, I am engaged to a woman. She is the love of my life, and our relationship is one of unconditional love, much closer to the love of Jesus than most heterosexual ones that I have come across. I wish to marry her in the near future, when we can get the paperwork together.
You would wish to stop that, though. If you would have your way, I would be arrested just like in the eighteenth century and sent to jail for my love. There is a simple problem with that, however. You can't. Fifty years ago, you would have had me jailed if I was in love with an African-American, and bi-racial couples have been lovingly married for decades now. Are you saying that even they should go back to not having legal marriages? You might as well be, because your arguments are quite similar to those opposing bi-racial marriage. I will not try to change your mind, though. You have the right to your opinion, just as I have the right to mine.
I have to ask one question, though. Since when does the action of another limit what you can say or do? My love is not hindering your religion. I am not telling your church that they have to marry me. I am not telling you that you must attend. In fact, I'm not even telling you what to believe. I firmly believe that you have the right to your opinion. That is the foundation of America. For you to have the right to say what you wish, I must have the right to say what I wish. That is the basis of free speech. What happens in my home and in my life is in no way hindering your ability to believe in Jesus, or live your life how you wish. Taking your logic to an extreme, we should ban pork because religions in America are against it, fine people when they swear, and perhaps even go back to Prohibition. That's not possible. We can't legislate morality. America was founded on the principle that people have the right to believe what they wish. Jefferson wrote that we have three inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How are two people pursuing their own happiness limiting your happiness? What is it about two people being allowed to marry that keeps you from being able to express yourself? You have every right to ignore them. You have every right to teach your children that it's wrong, and believe it yourself.
So, frankly, why are you limiting my free speech? You don't know me. You've never met me, but you are accusing me of a crime for living my life. In fact, you are accusing someone who has spent years studying the formation of America and the constitution of violating that document which they hold so dear.
If you still believe I have committed a crime, send the police. Arrest me. I have included my address to make things easier. Take me to jail for what I believe in. I will go because I know that I am innocent. I do not hate you. I would never do anything that would hinder someone's speech or liberty. All I am doing is living my life in the way I believe I should, just as I believe you are.
What do I want from this? Nothing, really. An apology would be nice, but I know that you are too determined in your beliefs to do that, as I would be if I were in your place. In a perfect world, however, I would like you to think. Whoever you are that reads this, take it to your boss. Let them take it to their boss, and further up the chain. Realize that you are doing what you are accusing others of doing. I am not making you change your views, just perhaps change your tactics.
Sincerely,
Quinn
[Address removed for LJ post]
My name is Quinn, and you have accused me of a constitutional crime. Let me explain.
I grew up in a conservative Christian household, believing everything that the Church stands for and states. When the time came, I chose to attend Wheaton College in Illinois, and what I saw there changed my mind forever. I saw the hypocrisy and two-faced nature of the fundamentalist movement, especially when it came to embracing others who do not agree with Christianity.
None of that is relevant to my current point, however, I believe it is important to state where I'm coming from with this complaint. I know your position, and I understand your fear and distrust of gay marriage.
However, I must step up, as I have been accused of a constitutional crime, a crime against the very basis of our society, the laws on which our country is founded. Your advertisement accuses me of limiting your freedom of speech, something that I myself hold quite dear. I have always been an advocate of this basic inalienable right, and feel personally assaulted that I have been accused of it.
You see, I am engaged to a woman. She is the love of my life, and our relationship is one of unconditional love, much closer to the love of Jesus than most heterosexual ones that I have come across. I wish to marry her in the near future, when we can get the paperwork together.
You would wish to stop that, though. If you would have your way, I would be arrested just like in the eighteenth century and sent to jail for my love. There is a simple problem with that, however. You can't. Fifty years ago, you would have had me jailed if I was in love with an African-American, and bi-racial couples have been lovingly married for decades now. Are you saying that even they should go back to not having legal marriages? You might as well be, because your arguments are quite similar to those opposing bi-racial marriage. I will not try to change your mind, though. You have the right to your opinion, just as I have the right to mine.
I have to ask one question, though. Since when does the action of another limit what you can say or do? My love is not hindering your religion. I am not telling your church that they have to marry me. I am not telling you that you must attend. In fact, I'm not even telling you what to believe. I firmly believe that you have the right to your opinion. That is the foundation of America. For you to have the right to say what you wish, I must have the right to say what I wish. That is the basis of free speech. What happens in my home and in my life is in no way hindering your ability to believe in Jesus, or live your life how you wish. Taking your logic to an extreme, we should ban pork because religions in America are against it, fine people when they swear, and perhaps even go back to Prohibition. That's not possible. We can't legislate morality. America was founded on the principle that people have the right to believe what they wish. Jefferson wrote that we have three inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How are two people pursuing their own happiness limiting your happiness? What is it about two people being allowed to marry that keeps you from being able to express yourself? You have every right to ignore them. You have every right to teach your children that it's wrong, and believe it yourself.
So, frankly, why are you limiting my free speech? You don't know me. You've never met me, but you are accusing me of a crime for living my life. In fact, you are accusing someone who has spent years studying the formation of America and the constitution of violating that document which they hold so dear.
If you still believe I have committed a crime, send the police. Arrest me. I have included my address to make things easier. Take me to jail for what I believe in. I will go because I know that I am innocent. I do not hate you. I would never do anything that would hinder someone's speech or liberty. All I am doing is living my life in the way I believe I should, just as I believe you are.
What do I want from this? Nothing, really. An apology would be nice, but I know that you are too determined in your beliefs to do that, as I would be if I were in your place. In a perfect world, however, I would like you to think. Whoever you are that reads this, take it to your boss. Let them take it to their boss, and further up the chain. Realize that you are doing what you are accusing others of doing. I am not making you change your views, just perhaps change your tactics.
Sincerely,
Quinn
[Address removed for LJ post]