Floridians- Vote NO - on Amendment 2
posted by Pensacola 10/10/2008 12:33:27 PM EST
This is a none partisan issue that concerns the privacy rights of every Floridian. Please educate everyone you know that is a Florida voter to become informed about this Amendment and why they should vote no.
From 2000 to now there are 360,000 people living together and sharing benefits in Florida. Of those only 40,000 are in gay relationships.
That means there are 320,000 straight Floridians that will be also denied rights and benefits if this amendment passes. Many of these are retired elderly that have lost a spouse and that now live together but would lose benefits from long term mariages if they got re-married.
This is a privacy rights issue for all Floridians.
Amendment 2 is not needed.
Why?
Because same-sex marriage is already illegal in Florida.
Not once. Or even twice.
But four times!
From Florida Statute 741.212 (1):
"Marriages between persons of the same sex entered into in any jurisdiction ... domestic or foreign ... or relationships between persons of the same sex, which are treated as marriages in any jurisdiction, whether within or outside the State of Florida, the United States, or any other jurisdiction ... or any other place or location, are not recognized for any purpose in this state."
From Florida Statute 741.212 (2):
"The state, its agencies, and its political subdivisions may not give effect to any public act, record or judicial proceeding of any state, territory, possession, or tribe of the United States or of any other jurisdiction ... domestic or foreign, or any other place or location respecting either a marriage or relationship not recognized under subsection (1) or a claim arising from such a marriage or relationship."
From Florida Statute 741.212 (3):
"For purposes of interpreting any state statute or rule, the term 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the term 'spouse' applies only to a member of such a union."
And just for good measure...
Florida Statute 741.04 (1) prohibits any judge or clerk of the court from issuing a marriage license "unless one party is a male and the other party is a female."
Consequences:
Similar amendments in other states are being used to take away benefits from public employees (Kentucky, for instance), and dissolve domestic partnership registries used to provide health care benefits and pensions (in Michigan).
Broward and Palm Beach Counties and the cities of Tampa, Gainesville and Miami Beach, among others, offer Domestic Partnership Registries. Most Florida universities and more than half of Fortune 500 companies offer Domestic Partnership benefits. These benefits would be placed at risk, if not outright abolished, if this amendment passes.
Every unmarried Floridian will be impacted by this amendment - especially divorced or widowed seniors and public employees who, under existing programs, can share some benefits such as hospital visitation privileges and health care coverage without being married.
This is a none partisan issue that concerns the privacy rights of every Floridian.
Please educate everyone you know that is a Florida voter to become informed about this Amendment and why they should vote no.
http://www.sayno2.com
VoteNoOn2 is a coalition of over 260 civic, faith, and social justice groups who are working together to protect Florida's families and educate voters about the harm that will be caused by Amendment 2. Join this effort and learn about how these so-called "marriage protection" amendments in other states have forced the cancellation of health insurance for thousands of couples and their children.
Amendment 2 does nothing to protect marriage. But it does take away important family protections, health care insurance, hospital visitation and medical decision-making authority, from all unmarried couples, gay and straight. It permanently bans civil unions and dismantles domestic partner benefits that seniors, teachers, police officers and firefighters rely on in more than 18 communities across the state. http://votenoon2.com/
