December 4, 2005

Contact: Patrick Riggs
Phone: 707.496.3756

Marriage Equality

The Democratic Party would like to express its profound disagreement with the stand taken recently by the Humboldt Republican Party in its opposition to right of homosexual men and women to marry. We believe that denying this right to all citizens is a denial of equal justice under the law and is an unjustified imposition of the religious or private moral beliefs of one group in society upon another group.

We fail to understand how marriage can be "under attack" and “threatened” by allowing a greater number of people to enjoy the rights and joys of a legally sanctioned committed relationship. Such language reflects fear and insecurity rather than rational analysis and should be avoided.

The California Democratic State Democratic Party Platform clearly expresses our position. We believe “that all persons deserve the opportunity to fully participate in the economic, cultural, political, and social facets of society.” We specifically “affirm the right of lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and transgender people to equal, dignified, respectful treatment and privacy" including “their right to equal legal recognition of their committed relationships, their right to become adoptive parents and their right to protection of their family units.”

In light of the above, as Chair of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee, I urge that the County adopt the resolution on this matter drafted by the Human Rights Commission.

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