Taking Back Religion-Issue One

Orthodox Jews Lobbying Against Equal Marriage

Have you ever been SO FILLED WITH RAGE that you can barely form complete sentences? The day after I post about religious activism, I come upon this, a letter and corresponding propaganda from a bunch of Orthodox Jews protesting the "de-definition of marriage" (And you don't believe in fate...). I will spare you reproducing the part where they compare equal marriage to Sharia law and just copy and paste the body of the letter here:

Honorable Dean Skelos,

Thank you for your defense of Marriage in the past. We now plead with you: please do not hold yet another vote on de-defining Marriage. It would be an affront to the Creator, and threaten Religious Liberty for all Bible-believers.

The most effective way the Republicans have of attracting and keeping Orthodox Jewish support is by defending Marriage.

If the Republican Party cannot stand up for Marriage, they send a message that they do not truly stand for anything.

(We are NOT asking for funding, programs, or any special favors. We are simply begging you not to risk our religious liberties and our childrens' future.)

Also please realize that to include "religious exemptions" in any de-definition of marriage would be perhaps the greatest threat to Marriage. That would increase the likelihood of passage (as the recent Maryland experience shows.) By trying to delay our defeat, we would ensure it. Additionally, religious exemptions could never protect us - particularly private individuals and business-owners - from all the effects of this bill, nor could they render such an attack on the Bible "kosher."

Instead, we urge you to push for Senate passage of the Defense Of Marriage Act in NY, as introduced by the esteemed Senator Marty Golden.

Thank you very much. This issue is more important for our vote than any social service or material benefit. Our vote for you depends on your leadership in decisively defending Marriage.

I can't even...I just...I don't...DID YOU THINK WE LIVE IN A THEOCRACY? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE IRONY OF JEWS TRYING TO DENY RIGHTS TO A SUBSET OF THE POPULATION? DO YOU REALIZE YOU ARE SO FAR ON THE FRINGE OF SOCIETY THAT WHEN I FIRST SAW THAT GRAPHIC I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ONION ARTICLE?

Phew. Okay. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, here is Senator Skelos' contact information:
Senator Dean Skelos
President Pro Tem
Majority Leader
332 State Capitol
Albany NY 12247
518-455-3171 / F: 426-6950
Skelos@NYSENATE.gov

And here is a link where you can find your own NY State Senator (upper lefthand corner of the page).

My letter to Sen. Skelos is below. Please feel free to copy and edit freely. If you're wondering where I got the 58% statistic, recent Quinnipiac poll reported here.

Dear Senator Skelos,

You recently received a letter from a fringe group of Orthodox Jews urging you to refuse to hold a vote that could potentially allow same-sex marriages to be performed in New York state. As a practicing Jew, I can assure you these attitudes do not reflect my own or those of the Jewish community at large. What's more the majority of New Yorkers (58%) support equal marriage. Not only is there a legal and moral imperative to allow same sex marriages in New York, but it also reflects the will of the people you were elected to represent. Despite your past actions, I trust that you will do the responsible and ethical thing and allow a bill rectifying these current discriminatory policies to reach the Senate floor.

Sincerely,
Nancy Leeds

Finally, I leave you with a quote from an Anti-DOMA letter written by Rabbi David Saperstein Director and Counsel, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The juxtaposition really demonstrates that the usefulness of religion, like a gun, or a vote, depends not on the thing itself, but on the character of the user.

Jewish tradition teaches, "And God created humans in God's own image, in the image of God, God created them; male and female God created them." (Genesis 1:27) We oppose discrimination against all individuals, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender men and women, for the stamp of the divine is imprinted on the souls of each and every one of us. As Jews, we have been among the quintessential victims of group hatred, persecution, and discrimination. We feel a keen empathy for those who can still be victimized, deprived of opportunities, jobs, or advancement because of their identity.

Please join me in taking action (even if you live in NY but are not religious.)
Love,
Nancy