The Marriage Amendment has come again before our General Assembly for approval. Designed to make sure that the committed relationships of gays and lesbians will never be recognized in any legal form in the State of Virginia, this amendment sends a clear message to gays and lesbians: we don’t want you here. It states to the children of gays and lesbians: you deserve fewer rights and protections than the children of straight, married parents.

Why does our government need to declare this message of bigotry and hatred in such an unequivocal way, when marriage “protections” are already written into law? Why is Virginia single-mindedly attacking the few among us who struggle for simple rights that are given easily to the greater population? What kind government &uot;of the people&uot; does this?

The downfall of “traditional marriage” has been predicted if this amendment doesn’t pass. But honestly, will denying the families of gays and lesbians their basic legal rights and protections help “traditional marriage?” Will the divorce rate decrease? Will a straight couple feel better about their union because somewhere a child is being denied health insurance from her non-birth parent’s employer?

Not one person will be helped by this amendment, except for the politicians who use this type of bigotry to fill their coffers.

However, many citizens of Virginia will be hurt by this amendment. This amendment is a permanent addition to the Commonwealth’s constitution, and as such sends the message to these families to leave this state or suffer the consequences. Gays and lesbians, and their families, are your firefighters, your teachers, your doctors. When these public servants go home to their families, after working so hard to protect your families, the least they deserve is the right to security for theirs. They deserve to know that their children are provided for and protected. Are these the “special rights” that those who oppose the “homosexual agenda” abhor?

Deb Green

Palmyra