To the Editor:
Your coverage of the recent RI Judiciary Committee hearing on bills to legalize same sex marriage and same sex divorce in RI is of crucial importance to the average RI citizen. Everyone needs to understand the far-reaching implications of such legislation. These bills would not only change the private status of a same sex couple but would involve radical changes to our society as we know it today.
One need only look at Massachusetts (and now California) after their courts legalized same sex marriage in those states to see what I mean. Four judges (not elected by the people) ruled in opposition to the majority view of the people in those states that our present laws on marriage are discriminatory to same sex couples. Thus, those of us who believe in marriage as the union of a man and a woman are now regarded as bigots under the law. Many people are also not aware that these court decisions not only change only one law but result in dramatic changes to over 1,600 state laws… laws which affect employment, family and parents rights, religious freedom, divorce law, freedom of speech, health care, and tax laws, to mention just a few areas affected.
As the newly appointed director of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) in RI, I would strongly encourage your readers to educate themselves on this topic and hope that they will find future articles on the many facets of this topic in the RI Catholic. It is also important for us to know where our elected officials stand on this issue especially our Congressmen, senators and representatives. For more information you may go to our website: www.nationformarriage.org. and can link to NOM RI. In the near future, we will identify our friends and opponents in the RI legislature to aid in this effort.
Maria Parker
Executive Director
NOM RI
