| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 1/18/2012 4:53:12 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Washington: Your Calls are Needed to Preserve Marriage! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Washington: Your Calls are Needed to Preserve Marriage! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, As many of you may already know, the Washington legislature has introduced two bills that would dramatically change the definition of marriage in Washington. Senate Bill 6239, and its companion House Bill 2516, would amend Washington law and remove the prohibition against individuals of the same sex from getting married. Your calls are vital to let your elected officials know where you stand and help stop these bills. Both bills state that "It is the intent of this act to end discrimination in marriage based on gender and sexual orientation in Washington, to ensure that all persons in this state may enjoy the freedom to marry on equal terms...." Why is HSLDA opposed to these bills? Our freedom to educate our children is based upon the foundation of marriage and traditional family. In many of the cases before our courts, parental rights are based on "Western civilization concepts of the family." Same-sex marriage attacks the traditions of the family in Western civilization upon which the foundation of parental choice in education and basic parental rights are based. In 2007 we warned that the domestic partnership law was the first step in recognizing same-sex relationships as marriage in Washington. These bills will automatically merge all domestic partnerships where both individuals are under 62 years of age, to "marriage" on June 30, 2014. Please call now to help preserve the traditional family and help defeat this legislation. While this issue has been highly polarized, if you speak with conviction in a kind and loving manner you will be the most effective advocate. ACTION REQUESTED: 1) Please call and email both your state senator and representative and give them this message in your own words: "Please oppose House Bill 2516/Senate Bill 6239. This bill establishes same-sex marriage in Washington and provides the same rights and benefits of married couples to domestic partners. I believe that marriage should remain as it always has been, between a man and a woman only." If possible, continue to call and email your elected officials each week until you get assurances that they will oppose this bill. You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler but should let them know that you are a constituent. To find the name and contact information for your elected officials, visit HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13428 . You can also send a brief message to your elected officials through the in-state toll-free Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000. 2) If your state senator or representative is a co-sponsor of these bills, please ask them to withdraw their support of this legislation. Senate Bill 6239 Co-sponsors Senators Murray, Pflug, Hobbs, Litzow, Kohl-Welles, Ranker, Tom, Harper, Pridemore, Keiser, Kline, Regala, Eide, Rolfes, McAuliffe, Brown, Nelson, Chase, Fraser, Frockt, Conway, Kilmer, and Prentice. House Bill 2516 Co-sponsors Representatives Pedersen, Walsh, Moeller, Jinkins, Tharinger, Upthegrove, Van De Wege, Seaquist, McCoy, Billig, Morris, Carlyle, Darneille, Ladenburg, Maxwell, Moscoso, Stanford, Fitzgibbon, Pollet, Hudgins, Finn, Eddy, Springer, Ormsby, Wylie, Goodman, Appleton, Pettigrew, Takko, Roberts, Ryu, Cody, Hasegawa, Hunter, Hunt, Haigh, Lytton, Santos, Orwall, Hansen, Sullivan, Kenney, Reykdal, Dickerson, Kagi, Sells, Clibborn, Dunshee, Liias, and Chopp. BACKGROUND How does defining marriage as being between one man and one woman potentially affect your right to homeschool your children? Here is what the Supreme Court said in 2000 in the case of Troxel v. Granville (a case that began in Washington state): "Our jurisprudence historically has reflected Western civilization concepts of the family as a unit with broad parental authority over minor children. Our cases have consistently followed that course." Thus, parental rights are based on "Western civilization concepts of the family." When those concepts are no longer the legal definition of the family in this nation, then the foundation upon which parental rights are based is completely removed. Therefore, HSLDA will continue to fight against same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage attacks the traditions of the family in Western civilization. This is an attack on parental rights. This is a battle the homeschooling movement cannot afford to lose. To find out the latest status of these bills and to see the text you can go to: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13429 and click on the respective bill page. Please call now in support of traditional family values. Thank you for your support of traditional marriage in Washington! If you or someone you know is not a member of HSLDA, will you consider taking a moment today to join or recommend us and support our work defending individual families threatened by government officials and protecting homeschooling freedom for all? Join now: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=13430 Sincerely, Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What's the shortest distance between two homeschoolers? HSLDA's elert service! When threats to homeschool freedoms arise, you want to be able to respond. We make it possible. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1101 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
