Florida (IX) Congressman John Mica

Today I continue with Congressman John Mica, Republican, representative of Florida's 7th Congressional District:

Dear Congressman Mica,

I write to urge you to change your stance with regard to marriage equality. You have twice voted in favor of a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage throughout the United States. This stance is part of a larger pattern of disregard for the rights of LGBT citizens, moreover. You have received a rating of "0%" from the Human Rights Campaign for each of the last three Congresses.

Marriage to the consenting partner of one's choice is a basic and inalienable right, one that is unfairly and arbitrarily denied to millions of Americans. Same-sex couples whose unions are denied state sanction are deprived of 1,138 benefits and protections that spontaneously flow to heterosexual married couples under federal law. Millions of Americans are thus denied recognition of rights routinely granted to felons and prisoners, for no crime but that of loving someone of the same gender. An even greater outrage is the harm this discrimination inflicts on children, thousands of whom lack stability and security because the government refuses to acknowledge their same-sex guardians as married.

This state of marital apartheid is unworthy of a great Republic like our own. Unfortunately widespread social prejudice has engendered forces committed to preserving and extending the discriminatory character of our laws. For that reasons I and others have proposed that the United States constitution should 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." Such a reform would be the surest and most durable redress to the injustice that yet prevails in most states of the Union.

I have set out to write every member of Congress seeking support for this Marriage Equality Amendment. Though you have supported its polar opposite in the past, for the sake of your future legacy I hope that you will come over to the side of right. Marriage equality is the great civil rights issue of our generation, and current leaders will be judged by coming generations for the choices they make today in this regard. Perhaps on reflection you will see the error of your past views. In any case I thank you for your attention on this matter and hope this message finds you well.

Sincerely,

Andrew Meyer