Governor's Office
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
September 9, 2005
Dear Mr. Schwarzenegger,
On the night of September 6 after the California Assembly approved AB849, (the bill making marriage gender-neutral), I suddenly felt like I was really a part of society. I was surprised how great that felt. It was like a dark veil was lifted, I was no longer officially deemed to be subversive, and California was asking me to contribute to my community in every way. That feeling lasted one night.
The next day you trotted out your press secretary to say you would veto my status as an equal and worthwhile Californian. You've told me that I am not equal and that my contributions are worth less than those of straight people. That feeling sucks.
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association ruled that homosexuality is not a disorder. Just a couple years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex sexual behavior is not a crime. If being gay is neither an illness nor a crime, what basis do you have to deny me rights that everyone else gets? "The judges should decide"? I thought that was judicial activism. Finally, we have a democratically elected state legislature express the will of the people, and you want to hide behind a black robe? Or why is a proposition vote the only other method to decide if I am subhuman or not? You respect mob rule by proposition, but not representative democracy?
I pose this question to you and your allies who oppose gay marriage: if you are going to dictate my relationship possibilities, what is your plan for me then? Are you hoping that this will turn me straight? Or do you prefer that I remain promiscuous going from one person to another, with all the risks that entails? Or if I do find myself in a long-term relationship, do you find that society is strengthened by me and an entire class of citizens living in insecurity, never knowing if our partnerships will be respected by our health, legal, and financial institutions? If you are going to invade my personal life and rob my future by giving me fewer rights than everyone else, you are obligated to state what your plan for me is. What is it?
Since I've never heard anything, I can only assume my happiness disgusts you. With no other rationale offered, I can only assume that the real reason for denying me my human rights is fear and bigotry. I'm disappointed you are putting the interests of the disgusted, fearful, and bigotted over mine. But if protecting the minority from the majority means anything, this cannot matter. Show me where any of those reactions form a legal basis for denying me the right to marry!
Pass AB849. A veto means history will describe you as a coward who pandered to the frightened bigots of the country. Don't make that mistake - please pass AB849 now!