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Community Corner

Valentine's Day & Marriage Equality

When many of us were in elementary school, we were required to bring a Valentine for every member of our class if we wanted to participate in our homeroom party. Unfortunately, this sense of equality, fairness, and respect for all hasn’t followed all of our classmates as we have grown older. Since 1996, the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has defined marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman, marking lesbians and gay men as second-class citizens not worthy of the same rights as others. The Virginia-Highland Church Equality Team thinks that the time to repeal DOMA long has passed, and they are asking you to lend your support. 

You are invited to a Valentine’s Day celebration on Sunday, February 12 immediately following morning worship. There will be heart-shaped cookies, red punch, and, most importantly, Valentine cards for you to sign that we will send to our congresspeople, encouraging them to repeal DOMA by passing House Resolution 1116 and Senate Bill 598, together known as “The Respect for Marriage Act.” We will have a computer available for you to sign a petition, and, if needed, we will help you identify your representative. 

The House version of the bill currently has 135 cosponsors, including two Atlanta-area representatives, John Lewis (Dist. 5) and Henry Johnson (Dist. 4). The measure also is supported by former U.S. Representative Bob Barr, an original sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act, and former President Bill Clinton, who signed DOMA into law. Not surprisingly, neither Georgia senator is a cosponsor of the senate version. Perhaps with your voice, joined with those of other members of this family of faith, will make a difference.

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