Tell the Governor– Don’t Sign SB566 or SB597!
Pushed through the legislature as
health care and hospital visitation rights these bills are a real affront to the
sanctity of marriage for all people of faith.
While some think these Domestic
Partnership bills are only dealing with homosexual “rights” they are in reality
another blow at the foundation of marriage because they tell young couples they
don’t have to get married to have the benefits of marriage. Just live together,
sign an affidavit and open a joint checking account or buy a car together and
there is no need to get married.
I recently spoke with a Pastor who
told me that when he counsels a couple about marriage and says they must live
apart until the wedding day “it is a deal beaker!” Another Pastor told me he
gets very few couples wanting to marry that aren’t already living
together. These bills now encourage them to by-pass marriage altogether,
because the State recognizes “Domestic Partnerships” instead, with little or no
commitment.
ACT
BEFORE MAY 13 TO TELL THE GOVERNOR NOT TO SIGN SB566 OR
SB597
Look below for a sample letter
that you can send to the Governor...
Governor’s contact by email is: www.gov.state.md.us
Governor’s contact by fax is:
410.974.3275
Governor’s contact by phone is:
410.974.3901 or 1.800.811.8336
I
HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL HUNDRED PASTORS, asking them to write a letter as well.
Ask your Pastor if he or she got an email from us on this issue. If your Pastor
was NOT one of them, please send me his or her email so I can be sure to contact
him or her in the future.
- - - - - - - - Sample Letter – Amend
or rewrite to put it in your own words- - - - - - - - -
The Honorable Martin O’Malley
State
House, 100 State
Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
Dear Governor
O’Malley:
I write to urge you
to veto Senate Bills 566 and 597, which erode of the definition of marriage in
state law by defining “domestic partnerships” and assigning marriage-equivalency
status to those relationships in the health and tax statutes.
I write in
opposition not so much to the privileges bestowed by these bills, but rather out
of a grave concern that the legal definition of marriage will be seriously
diluted in order to bestow those privileges. Most of the privileges granted in
the measures are already available in statutes that provide for readily
available advance directives; others can be granted without creating the
ill-conceived, marriage-equivalent “domestic-partner” relationship defined in
the legislation.
In both pieces of
legislation, the definition of domestic partnership is so broad and ambiguous
that it will be extended to the most casual of relationships – relationships
that can easily be entered into and just as easily dissolved; relationships that
assume scarce few of the obligations associated with committed marriages. Sound
public policy should not equate such relationships with the legal institution of
marriage.
It may well be that
certain of the rights and privileges currently granted by law to persons who are
married should also be offered to couples who are not, but this should be done
in a way that does no damage to the institution of marriage and the high status
historically accorded to that institution by our laws. It should be done in a
way that does not give insult to the religious traditions which exalt marriage
and regard it as sacramental.
I urge you to
protect the legal status of marriage in Maryland by vetoing Senate Bills 566 and
597.
Sincerely,
- - - - - - - - Sample Letter – Amend
or rewrite to put it in your own words- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Prayer! America's Strength and Shield
The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 1st and your intentional prayers
for our nation are greatly needed during this time of war, moral decay, and
important elections in November.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Fast Day in 1863. In 1952,
a joint resolution by Congress declared an annual national day of prayer. In
1988, the Congress and President Ronald Reagan set the first Thursday of
every May as National Day of Prayer. And now, on Thursday, May 1, 2008,
Americans across the nation and throughout Maryland will pray for our state
and nation.
This year's theme, "Prayer! America's Strength and Shield" is based on
Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in him,
and I am helped." The Lord hears and responds to His children's appeal for
help. He is our strength, refuge, and courage in our personal and national
times of suffering, despair, and loss.
Please join with your fellow citizens as we take some time tomorrow to
specifically pray for our nation.
To find a National Day of Prayer event near you, please CLICK HERE!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2008 General Assembly ended "Sine Die" as midnight, Monday April 7th.
Click Here to see the final status of the bills FPL was tracking.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
KEEP INFORMED with FPL's weekly email updates on issues concerning your family. Sign up today and also receive our session Newsletters, keeping you informed on whats going on in Annapolis! click here for FPL's Volunteer Website!
