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Dear Friends,

This is the last political spam you will ever get from me. Some of you are getting this because the subject matter of this bill might be of interest to you either here in Maryland or out-of-state. Some of you may have family, in-laws or friends here. A few of you have spammed me in the past yourselves;-) .

The issue of same-sex marriage directly affects my friends and members of my family. I don't want the government to treat [my cousin, the good men in my own wedding party, my long-time friends, fill in the blank], like second class citizens.

On the other hand, I don't want my friends' religious institutions or consciences to be pressed by the government into a breach of their own faith, morals or integrity.

The issue is all about integrity - integrity and honesty, living in the real world rather than a fake one, all of us living as equal citizens instead of having the clerk of court's door slamming shut on their - our - fingers.

That's why I am urging friends to learn more about the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (Senate Bill 290 /House Bill 351). I hope that friends will give a brief call to their representatives or forward this email to their Maryland friends.

Some say that opening the courthouse door to same-sex couples will "end marriage," that same-sex marriage will "destroy marriage.". This is foolishness. If straight married couples are having a hard time keeping a successful marriage, it's not because Harry and Jack or Linda and Margaret are also hoping to have a successful marriage in the next neighborhood or Zip Code.

Please learn about Senate Bill 290 /House Bill 351 and urge its passage here in Maryland. This well-drafted bill will protect firmly what's already the law: churches and synagogues are free to bar their front door strictly shut to same-sex couples according to their conscience. But let the courthouse door be opened wide to all of us, finally, in our fair and free state.

You will get no more spam from me unless you request it. Promise. And thank you.

Best,

[You]

UPDATE: My diary over at Daily Kos on these themes.

SECOND UPDATE: Part of good advocacy is the competent use of English adjectives. So when I characterized a leading openly gay elected official as being in an "open relationship" as opposed to a "publicly/openly ACKNOWLEDGED relationship", I committed hard-core editorial malpractice. Let me state for the record that Senator Madaleno has both a great sense of humor and a forgiving spirit. Thank you and I do apologize, Senator.