Stand Against Homophobia

To:  Our Elected Officials

Stand For Justice! Unite for Civil Rights!
There is a cancer in black communities. The cancer is black homophobia.

Should any religious institution control our government’s decisions?

Nowhere is this question more visible than when we:
1. Continue the forty-year theological debate over homosexuality.
2. Engage in recent political discussions about marriage equality.
3. Discover collaborations between black homophobic preachers and white right-wing racists.

Today, religious institutions are free to use interpretations of scripture, tradition, and/or "infallible" supreme leaders to justify calling homosexuality wrong. Our government does not, and should not pass laws that interfere with this religious freedom.

Conversely, today, religious institutions are restricted from using interpretations of scripture, tradition, and/or “infallible” supreme leaders to justify forcing our government to pass laws or change the Constitution. Religious institutions cannot, and should not interfere with the government’s ability to make and enforce laws.

Our Constitution upholds both the freedom and restriction of religion
and government. There are some who want to change the Constitution and interrupt this balance. They are doing this by blurring the line between personal religious beliefs and government law.

Across the country, homophobes are working to pass marriage amendments to state constitutions and ultimately federal. The marriage amendment makes inequality legal and threatens to permanently diminish the civil rights of lesbian and gay families in America.

Sankofa Way and our allies strongly affirm the right of civil marriage to same-sex couples. We invite you to stand with us in this affirmation.

Stand with us as we speak out against the marriage amendment, and
fight to keep religion out of government.

We are a group of concerned people, organizations, religious
institutions, clergy and families who are not willing to sit back and
watch homophobia overtake our government, schools, and other public
institutions. We have put aside our differences and become a unified
voice against the marriage amendment. We are inviting you to do the
same. Join the growing list of people who have decided to stand for justice.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Stand Against Homophobia Petition to Our Elected Officials was created by Black Gays & Allies for Equality and written by Deborah Elandus Lake (sankofaway@sankofaway.org).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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