Shame on Representative Fox of Rhode Island

I thought I would share the letter I wrote:


Representative Fox,

I'm troubled by what I read in the Globe today.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2011/06/28/in_ri_hopes_fading_for_gay_marriage_bill/?page=1

Though I applauded your courage in coming out, it seems that courage ends there.

Rhode Island isn't so dissimilar to Massachusetts outside of being small (and broke). Many Catholics don't care as much as you might think (just the loudmouth archdiosese). In fact, most I know don't buy into everything the church says. I should know, my entire family is Catholic. Also, when they find that society doesn't implode because all citizens are treated equally, they do tend to loosen up. I offer New Hampshire as a case-in-point. They are even less socially-evolved than Rhode Island but somehow they made it work. So then why would you support civil unions over marriage? I think you're looking out for your own rear end, because you think it's safer to do what is easy rather than what's hard.

Please don't even try to position yourself as being strategic on the issue, you are being a coward and an uncle Tom. Shame on you. You know Civil Unions are nothing more than separate but equal treatment under the law and therefore, nothing more than a sham.  How you could sell your own people short to take the safe way out makes me question your character.

Any temptation I've ever had to move to Providence after your Pride festivities has since dissipated when I learned of your position on this issue. If GLBT people cannot even rely on their gay elected officials in their own state, I can't see why they would stay put where they are clearly not welcome. Especially when there's two "free states" close by.  You have no prayer of attracting the educated creative-class professionals it takes to grow an economy as long as your people truly aren't free. Pandering to the old farts who'll soon be dead is a recipe for disaster.

It bears repeating: shame on you.

Heath McKay
Democrat (and happily gay-married professional)
Boston, MA