Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Lee column sets up a false divide on Civil Marriage Equality
In his Oct. 10 column (“Montgomery mutiny?”), Blair Lee states that same sex marriage is a red hot ballot question pitting the gay lobby against organized religion.
In fact, about one third of the 150 organizations that make up the Marylanders for Marriage Equality Coalition are religious institutions, churches, synagogues, the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and other religious groups.
Thus, it is patently false to assert that those in favor of civil marriage equality are against organized religion; indeed, much of “organized religion” is strongly for marriage equality. Significantly, the Civil Marriage Protection Act passed by the General Assembly explicitly recognizes that religiousinstitutions have the right to eschew same sex marriages. No clergy person or faith institution is forced to marry anyone.
While there has been, and will continue to be, debates between — and within — different faith communities about how religion should address sexual orientation, the wider debate is not between the religious and the irreligious. For Mr. Lee to imply that people of faith who support civil marriage equality are, by their actions, attacking organized religion is a canard, designed to divide people, not unite them.
David S. Fishback, Olney
The writer is the advocacy chair of the Metro DC Chapter of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
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