An open letter to Brian Bosma on Marriage HJR-3

Dear Mr. Bosma Mr. Bosma I am little mixed up by your actions to bring to the State House the question of marriage in the State of Indiana, it appears what you are doing and the other elected officials is a total waste of time and money. It is pandering to the religious right and not viewing what is best for the state. I have a few points I want you to consider. In 1620 a group of about 100 people set sail from England on a ship called the Mayflower. They were seeking religious freedom in the new world. This concept of religious freedom was ingrained by our founding fathers in one sentence: "Congress shall make no law respecting and establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This statement is two fold; first it builds a wall where the any church is protected from government control. This wall, also has a second wall, it protects the citizen from the religion being applied to the population. In 1992 the Supreme Court stated: "At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life. Yet today we have a group of religious people trying to exert their will on the people of this state. I keep reading in the press how their bible says this and how they define marriage. Isn’t this exerting their religious will and belief on everyone else? Even within the framework of different religions we read different opinions on this subject. So why are you pushing for this amendment that is a religious view and even one not accepted by all of our religious leaders. Are you to afraid to stand up against a group of well meaning people who may have the wrong approach or concept? It appears you are. As Republican you are always claiming the need for "more freedom" and “less government interference” yet here is a law they want to pass that removes a freedom from people and freedom of choice. Another Republican fight "is waste of taxpayer money." Well this is going to be a very big waste in the long run. If passed this will go to the courts. Based on what is happening in other states the odds are it will be struck down and the state will spend millions on defending this law and the odds are only to lose in the end. So isn’t time to let this die.