Some context: On Thursday, the Kansas State Senate voted 28-11 in favor of the gay marriage ban amendment we defeated last year. It goes to the House next week. Local stories here:
http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/193186
and here:
http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/193267
So, yesterday we began writing our thank-yous to the Senators who voted against it and requests to our Reps that they vote it down next week.
A member of a mailing list I'm on - a history instructor at a state university - shared this letter he received in response from Representative Peggy Mast, R-Emporia, today. With his permission, I'm sharing it with the Kososphere.
----- Original Message -----
From: State Representative Peggy Mast
To: XXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 11:22 AM
Subject: Re:NO to AMENDMENT
Mr. Hxxxxx:
You appear to be a true work of art. A man educated far above your own intelligence. You capitalized Christian, but failed to capitalize Bible. Please watch that next time. A man who even calls legislators that voted against the marriage amendment last time small souled people. It is tragic to think of your mind being used to influence the young in our great state. I guess that is seems a little humorous to me that you would even dare to use the term soul. What is your definition of soul anyway? That would be interesting to me.
Now to go on about your views regarding marriage. You consider hardships in marriage to be a threat to the unity of man and woman and I feel that many marriages become stronger through adversity and they are harmed more when people rise to the level that you have now obtained. The false pride that you exhibit damages alot of relationships in my opinion.
With your approach to the issue of morality, we should not be concerned about anything that does not effect us personally. Each day I hear about the atrocities of man. Instances like children being forced into prostitution or sold into forced slavery even in the United States today. Stories about girls and women who are bought and sold like pieces of meat. To this point, those things have not affected me personally. I guess that sense the Tsunami has not taken any of our relatives or friends, we should turn our backs on the way that it has affected so many others. Is that correct?
Do you teach history and yet you are not aware of the way our founding fathers stressed that our government was set up to serve a moral people? When the Man, Boy love Association steps up to the plate and insists that their relationships are healthy and they are entitled to their loving relationships, I guess that won't affect us either will it?
Well, thanks for sharing your heart with me Mr. Hxxxxx. It is great to hear all of the deep thought that you have put into this topic. Hope that your mind has an opportunity to expand a little through the experience.
Here's Peggy:
http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-house/searchHouse.do?rep=2602
