MERI Blog
Langevin Supports Marriage Equality
Jim Langevin: Now is the time to redefine marriage in R.I.
01:00 AM EST on Saturday, March 5, 2011
By Jim Langevin
Throughout my career in public service, I have strongly opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation at both the state and federal level, co-sponsoring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation, and supporting efforts to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
While those topics have been controversial, they never elicited the intensely passionate and emotional debate that occurred as our nation began struggling with the question of same-sex marriage. For many years, I supported civil unions as a reasonable way to achieve consensus on a divisive issue, providing rights and protections to same-sex couples while respecting the deeply held beliefs of those not comfortable with the idea of marriage rights.
Then, three years ago, I attended the commitment ceremony of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years. Before their friends and family, they professed their love, commitment and respect for each other. Their sentiments were just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union would not be treated the same under the law. That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved.
As the debate about same-sex marriage continues in Rhode Island and in Washington, I have taken time to reflect carefully on my own position. Based on my own experiences and my firm belief that all Americans should be treated equally under the law, I am now convinced that affording full marriage equality rights to same-sex couples is the only fair and responsible approach for both Rhode Island and the nation. If our nation expects to provide equal protection to all, then our civic institutions must reflect that noble goal.
As a U.S. representative, I take seriously my constitutional responsibility to protect the rights and liberties of our citizens. Marriage equality is consistent with that view because it safeguards basic civil rights and provides appropriate legal protections so that all loving and committed couples may care for each other. At the same time, our nation’s fundamental freedom of religion dictates that religious institutions should be allowed to define marriage as they deem appropriate. The marriage-equality legislation before the General Assembly respects the important separation of church and state by not requiring religious institutions to change any of their practices or standards relating to marriage.
The members of the General Assembly now have a historic opportunity. As a former member of that body, I understand the challenges they face, but this is a time for leadership.
During my time as a state representative, I remember talking with my father about pending legislation to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation, which was highly controversial at the time. While I greatly valued his thoughtful and balanced perspective, my father was certainly no social activist. He was just an ordinary man who had grown up through the civil-rights movement and always believed it was fundamentally unjust to treat people differently because of their race. When I told him I had decided to support the non-discrimination legislation, he expressed his pride in my decision because it showed that I viewed issues of fairness and justice as he did. And he was convinced that, in the same way racial discrimination became a shameful part of our history, one day our nation would look back in disbelief at a time when we denied our fellow citizens basic civil rights based on their sexual orientation. I now believe that day is within our reach.
As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state’s founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support marriage equality in our state. It’s time to do the right thing.
Rep. Jim Langevin, a Democrat, represents Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District.
3 comments
bake1956@gmail.com on March 11, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Congressman Langevin,
I spoke before the judiciary committe (3-10-11).My name is Pat Baker.I am a vetran correctional officer @ the Dept. of Corrections for the past 30yrs.As a correctional officer we are trained to sense the mood of the inmate population.This sense often heads off violence before it can occur by reporting to your supervisor.It’s been a long time since i felt that “mood” and that was last night in the senate chamber and elsewhere.I could feel the hate,bigotry and prejudice by the do gooders who were mostly religiously affiliated.I don’t believe God promotes hate or represents these haters in such a way.I and my wife are Roman Catholic and do not believe God condones their behavior,hate and bigotry.As we walked down the hallways you could feel their glares and hear their jeers,but to me it felt like a morning feeding at the A.C.I.I was not intiminidated in the least.
So once marriage equality passes in R.I. We must move onto Wasington,D.C. for Federal recognition and the 1,138 safeguards and rights of marriage.This to include social security survivor benefits for our spouses.I am only 54yrs.old.I am terminally ill with stage four lung cancer and I hope to survive long enough to know my wife will recieve the benefits due to her as my wife should.These are my civil rights as an American.Can I ask anyone out there if this reminds any older americans of the late 1960s?
bake1956@gmail.com on March 12, 2011 at 2:35 am
Congressman Langevin,
READY TO GO TO DC AND MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THE GOOD GUYS !
PAT BAKER
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Kim Carrier on March 07, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Thank you Jim for realizing that the LGBT Community is not asking for anything special, but EQUAL rights and protections under the law. Our love and commitment to each other as same-sex couples is no different from that of opposite-sex couples, nor is it inferior. I get so tired of hearing politicians, who hold my fate in their hands, saying that the LGBT Community is asking for special rights and privileges because we want to be able to marry. We are not. The 14th Amendment, paragraph 1 does not read “Unless you are gay”. It is time to do the right thing, and grant EQUALITY to ALL citizens. The one thing you said that I do not agree with is that we want to redefine marriage. Allowing gays and Lesbians to marry does not redefine marriage. Marriage is the union of two people in love, no where is gender mentioned, nor should it be. Being gay is not a choice, we are born this way. One cannot help how their heart feels. Those who bring religion into it are wrong, simply because marriage is NOT a religious issue, it is a RELATIONSHIP issue, and it should be between the parties involved, not between the couple and the church, or the government. It was not right to deny inter-racial marriage, it is still not right to deny other loving couples the right to marry. Our relationships are no less valid than those of opposite sex couples. It is high time that these relationships are recognized, not only statewide, but Federally as well.