Alaska (II) Congressman Don Young

Today I conclude my correspondence with Alaska's congressional delegation with a letter to Congressman Don Young, Republican, representative-at-large for Alaska:

Dear Congressman Young,

I write you to urge you to change your stance on the issue of same-sex marriage. As one of the most senior members of the House you have a long record of service, but it is not marked by a high regard for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens. You have voted to ban same-sex marriage across the Union, to ban the adoption of children by same-sex couples in the District of Columbia, and against legislation that would protect gay citizens from discrimination in the work place. Indeed, the Human Rights Campaign gives you a score of "zero" for all of the last three sessions of Congress.

I fear, Congressman, that you are blind to what will ultimately be perceived as the great civil rights struggle of our generation. If you truly believed in the principles of individual autonomy and dignity that are at the heart of our Republic, you would not favor a comprehensive ban on same-sex marriage, but would advocate that the Constitution be amended to read, "The right to marry shall not be abridged or denied by the United States or any state on account of sex or sexual orientation." Until such guarantees are encoded in our basic law, the individual rights of millions of Americans will be violated by our courts and institutions.

Please reconsider your position on this issue, Congressman. I thank you for your attention, and hope that this message finds you well.

Sincerely,

Andrew Meyer