DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF VOTER
RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY, AND TRUE MARRIAGE EQUALITY
WE’RE FOR FAIRNESS <> REASON <> THE RULE OF LAW
(Adopted in Miami, Florida on November 7, 2008)
As leaders of Florida’s tireless human, civil
rights and social justice advocacy organizations, we are passionately committed
to defending Voter Rights, Democracy, and true Marriage Equality. Voter rights are the cornerstone of our
democracy. They are the foundation upon which all of our civil liberties rest. Marriage
is one of the basic civil rights of man. It is fundamental to society’s very
existence and survival. Democracy is our guarantee of peace, justice, and
social order.
For a judge to nullify a democratic election
and deny citizens the right to have their votes respected is to attack the
fundamental freedoms that define who we are as a nation. A judge’s repudiation
through re-definition of the institution of Marriage as ordained by the people is
odious to a free society whose institutions are founded upon respect for popular
sovereignty.
Corrupt, outlaw judges have overthrown the
Constitution, undermined democratic rule, and denied our voter rights; all to
impose on us what they claim is a so-called “right” to homosexual “marriage.”
They cleverly call this scam “Marriage Equality.” But Marriage
Equality does not equal the fiction of homosexual so-called “marriage.”
True Marriage
Equality equals affording everyone the same, equal right
to marry under the same, equal rules.
Florida’s Constitution already prohibits
discrimination and guarantees all Floridians true Marriage Equality, based on
the same, equal right to marry
another person under the same, equal
terms and conditions. When exercising this right, no one’s alleged sexual
behavioral choices are ever considered. Indeed, no one is asked their alleged
sexual behavioral choices or preferences when applying for a Marriage license in the Sunshine State. The reason is
clear: Florida’s Constitution and laws do not ban or prohibit anyone from marrying
as husband and wife provided they are of age, unmarried, and not blood related.
On the other hand, the fiction of homosexual
so-called “marriage” is discriminatory, undemocratic, and anti-Equality
for many reasons. Here are just a few.
FIRST: How can homosexual so-called “marriage” have
anything to do with Marriage Equality when two males or two females do
not equal one male and one female? Equality is
treating equal what is equal, not treating equal what is different. Treating
equal what is different is never equality; it’s discrimination, it's anti-equality.
So why is discrimination and anti-equality being forced on us under the guise
of “equality”?
SECOND: Upholding Marriage as the union of husband and
wife, of age, unmarried and not blood-related is not even remotely similar to
denying people the right to marry because of race. The U.S. Supreme Court has
ruled race, unlike alleged sexual behavioral choices or preferences, is a
suspect class worthy of special protection. What is rational or pro-equality about claiming
that race, an unquestionably immutable physical characteristic, even remotely
equals alleged sexual behavioral choices or preferences? Why is the fraudulent
race “argument” being so brazenly used to trick and mislead the public?
THIRD: Not being a constitutional right, as the U.S.
Supreme Court has ruled in Baker v.
Nelson and US v. Windsor, can a
judge deny the people of Florida the right to settle the public policy issue of
Marriage, as they did in the historic 2008 elections, wherein they ordained
Marriage as the union of husband and wife? What is democratic and pro-equality about
nullifying elections and denying Floridians the right to have their votes
respected? In a
democracy, do judges have a license to disregard the people’s will and overturn
elections whenever they dislike the outcome?
FOURTH: Regardless of how anyone feels about Marriage or any
other public policy issue, does anyone have the right to demand that everyone
else’s civil rights, everyone else’s votes, and everyone else’s equality and
dignity under the law be violated? In a democracy, does a judge get to deny citizens
their right to decide public policy issues whenever the judge disagrees with
how they voted? Is this not contemptuous of democratic government; the Rule of
Law, and all notions of fairness and Equality?
FIFTH: In a nation of laws, should we allow any individual
or group to be above the law? In a land of equality is any individual or group
more equal than others? What is fair or equal about a judge arbitrarily,
unilaterally, and capriciously declaring a behavioral choice, whether sexual or
otherwise, a constitutional “right,” and then forcing everyone else to
accept it as such? What could be more contemptuous of Democracy; more
disrespectful of the Rule of Law, or more anti-Equality?
SIXTH: Forcing on society the fiction of homosexual so-called
“marriage” is not about equality, it’s about insanity. What rational person
honestly thinks that social peace and tolerance are ever achieved through legal
sleights of hand, judicial voter lynchings, or overthrowing democratic rule?
Did not millions upon millions of fair-minded Floridians of all different
colors, sexes, ethnic backgrounds, races, political parties and creeds vote YES
in the historic 2008 elections ordaining the institution of Marriage as the union
of husband and wife? Will that election; everyone's votes, and
everyone's civil rights be respected and upheld? Will the core principles of
democratic government remain legally protected or be judicially gunned down?
For any
judge, years after an election, to overturn its results and deny Floridians
their basic voter rights, is nothing short of treason to the Constitution and
the very values and ideals for which so many Americans have fought, shed their
blood and sacrificed their life since our nation’s founding.
We urge all
civic-minded Floridians to stand up for Voter Rights, Democracy. and true
Marriage Equality, and reject the blatant lies and treasonous judicial assaults
on Democracy and the Rule of Law from extremists pushing a phony, so-called
“equality” that violates the dignity, civil rights, and equality of all
Floridians, including themselves!
