Metropolitan Community Churches
Metropolitan Community Churches urges a “NO” vote on Amendment 2 to the Florida State Constitution
We, the leaders and member of Metropolitan Community Churches urge all our pastors, members and friends in the State of Florida to vote “No” on Election Day, November 4th on this attempt to write bigotry into our State Constitution.
For forty years, Metropolitan Community Churches has advocated for equal rights for all, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. We believe that marriage should be available for all citizens, and not only heterosexuals.
Amendment 2 would not only harm same-sex couples, it would also bring harm and prejudice to heterosexual couples who are not legally married.
This amendment reinforces religious prejudices which we have opposed for decades. The same attitudes and prejudices that miss-used scripture to support slavery and the oppression of women are at work today in this amendment. We believe that all Florida families deserve dignity.
Our churches in Florida have a proud tradition of speaking out on civil rights, and we are proud to do so again, today.
Here is a quote from Rev. Jim Merritt speaking out on this subject:
“I’m sending this note to you and all my other friends and family members,
asking you to vote No on Florida’s proposed Amendment 2 on the November
ballot. This so-called “Marriage Protection Amendment” is opposed by the
Florida League of Women Voters, senior advocates and the editorial boards of
virtually every major Florida newspaper.
They oppose Amendment 2 because it would institutionalize in Florida’s
Constitution a permanent prohibition against people having personal
partnership rights unless they are in a legally sanctioned, narrowly defined
heterosexual marriage. The amendment could also deny hospital visitation,
health care and survivorship rights to any unmarried partners in Florida,
regardless of sexual orientation.
The amendment could take away existing benefits from unmarried Floridians;
put many seniors’ governmental and health care benefits at risk; take away
existing job benefits from university employees and employees of the local
governments and private companies that offer partner benefits; and be a
massive governmental intrusion into the personal relationships of
Floridians.
Although advocates for the amendment say it would only prohibit same-sex
marriage (already prohibited under Florida law), similar ambiguous language
has had the following consequences in other states: in Michigan, the
dissolving of domestic partnership registries used to provide health care
benefits and pension; in Kentucky, a subsequent legal move by advocates to
take away employee benefits at state universities; in Ohio, defense against
a domestic violence charge. With many local Florida governments, most
Florida universities and over half the Fortune 500 companies offering
domestic partnership benefits, thousands of Floridians of every sexual
orientation have a lot at stake.
Bentley Lipscomb, Florida’s first secretary of the Department of Elder
Affairs, recently wrote in the St. Petersburg Times that Amendment 2 “…
could actually restrict who could receive basic family protections and
health benefits. The ramifications of this miss-directed amendment could hit
seniors particularly hard. Many seniors who are widowed do not remarry
because they risk losing essential pension benefits or fear a new marriage
might upset estate plans for their adult children… they often form loving
bonds with someone who becomes their closest family, whom they care for and
love. Even visiting loved ones in the hospital when they are sick would be
problematic. Then there’s the whole legal issue around making decisions
about the end of life.”
I am saddened that Amendment 2 is supported so strongly by a number of
church organizations, including many members of the Florida Baptist
Convention and a coalition of African-American pastors. Fortunately many
other religious organizations and pastors strongly oppose the Amendment, as
does the NAACP.
I encourage you to do so as well. Florida does not allow same-sex marriage,
and for me, a gay man, Amendment 2 would not change that. But it would take
away benefits not only for me, but for the substantially more numerous
straight people, of all ages and circumstances, who depend on them. It is an
ill-intentioned amendment that should not become part of our state’s
constitution.
Sincerely,
Jim Merritt”
+Nancy
Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches
Celebration MCC, Naples, FL
Church of Our Savior MCC, Boynton Beach, FL
Church of the Trinity MCC, Sarasota, FL
Circle of Light MCC, Miami Beach, FL
Holy Cross MCC, Pensacola, FL
Joy MCC, Orlando, FL
MCC Key West, Key West, FL
MCC Ocala, Ocala, FL
MCC of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL
St. John the Apostle MCC, Ft. Myers, FL
SunCoast Cathedral MCC, Venice, FL
Sunshine Cathedral MCC, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Tampa MCC, Tampa, FL
Trinity MCC, Gainesville, FL