Date: Wed, 25  Jun  2003 13:41:34 -0400
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
Subject: oppose H.J.Res. 56, the marriage amendment

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Senator Kennedy
Senator Kerry
Representative Capuano
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


June 25, 2003

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to oppose the "Federal Marriage Amendment" 
(H.J. Res. 56).

This measure would amend the Constitution to define marriage as being 
possible only between a man and a woman, and would invalidate the 
protections currently afforded in many states to unmarried domestic 
partners and their families.  These protections include prohibitions 
against discrimination based on `marital status,' state laws protecting 
unmarried elderly couples who refrain from marrying in order to retain 
their pensions, and even state laws allowing a person, in the absence of a 
spouse, to oppose the autopsy of a close friend because of the deceased 
person's religious beliefs.

Historically, the Constitution has been amended in order to expand civil 
rights, but never to restrict them.  By pre-empting the decisions of 
individual states, this amendment would prevent the states from serving in 
their historical role as testing grounds for stronger civil rights laws.

Again, I urge you to oppose H.J.Res. 56.

Sincerely


Matthew Belmonte