Letter to Rep. Bob Nicholas: Stop SJ 005

Here's a letter I wrote to my state representative, Bob Nicholas, about SJ 005, the constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage and civil unions. He's one of the members of the House Judiciary Committee who will be voting to send the bill out of committee. There are five members. E-mail them ASAP. Here are their names and contact info:

Rep.Kermit Brown / Laramie - kermitbrown@wyoming.com
Rep. Matt Greene / Laramie - mgreene@wyoming.com
Rep. Bob Nicholas / Cheyenne - bnicholas@wyoming.com
Rep. Sam Krone / Cody - skrone@wyoming.com
Rep.Richard Cannady / Glenrock - rcannady@wyoming.com

Find out more about these issues via Wyoming GLBT News on Facebook. Or contact Pamela RW Kandt at the Wyoming GLBT News at WyomingGLBTnews@gmail.com

Dear Rep. Bob Nicholas:

I've been a Wyoming resident since 1991. During that time, I've had the privilege to be friends with all kinds of people. They are conservative and liberal, creative and practical, gay and straight. During all that time, I've been impressed with the fact that Wyomingites are a tolerant lot. They don't seem to care so much about lifestyle choices as they do about the strength of your character. Can you be trusted and can you be counted on to get the job done?

We seem to be losing that sense of tolerance. Some of the bills that have found their way onto the legislative agenda are not only anti-gay and anti-immigrant, but anti-human. I know gay and lesbian couples who are stalwart members of our community and, frankly, the vitriol I've seen coming from the Legislature disturbs me. Gay and lesbian people are my neighbors and friends. They are artists and entrepreneurs and fire fighters and, yes, they teach our kids -- and do a darn fine job of it, too.

As a new member of the House Judiciary Committee, you have the power to halt SJ 005, the constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage and civil unions. Don't let it get out of committee. It will hurt our fellow citizens and hurt the State of Wyoming.

By the way, I'm straight and have been married to the same wonderful woman for 29 years. We have two grown kids -- our daughter was born and raised in Wyoming. My wife and I have never felt threatened by the fact that gay and lesbian couples can get married. We've been to a number of ceremonies where LGBT couples pledge themselves to one another. We're long-time friends with a lesbian couple who now live in Florida. They've been together almost as long as we have and they're raising two wonderful kids, one of whom they traveled to Russia to adopt. I think of them as the Legislature considers these bills that attempt to turn people such as our friends into second-class citizens.

Live and let live. That's the Wyoming I know. Let's keep the equality in "The Equality State."

Sincerely,
Michael Shay