I have a stack of papers sitting in my kitchen, papers that I think are very important.
It's a big stack. With lots of blank lines. About 8,000 blank lines, to be precise.
Why are the lines blank, you wonder? Well, those little lines are awaiting to be filled with some people's John Hancocks.
I'm getting involved, which is something new and different for me. Really. I've never done the 'politcially active' thing before, but I am now.
On May 1st, I sat in a meeting with thousands of women of my faith and heard
a woman I admire ask us to fight for families, so I'm fighting. Literally. I'm gathering signatures for Referendum-71, in response to State Bill 5688. State Bill 5688 is a bill that has been called the 'everything but marriage' bill and allows same sex couples to have many/most of the same legal benefits as traditionally married couples.
I've heard many people say that they don't care if same sex couples have equal 'marriage' rights as long as they don't change the definition of marriage and as long as it doesn't directly affect their family. Friends, if this bill does not get overturned these things are exactly what will happen. Most concerning to me is that same sex couples will be able to bring litigation against the state to have the Defense of Marriage Act overturned, thus changing the state's definition of marriage and allowing same-sex couples to be married.
I do not claim to be knowledgeable about the legalities of this, but I do know that the line MUST be drawn. We have been asked, as responsible citizens,
"to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society." Nearly 30 years ago, Spencer W Kimball said, "There are those who would define the family in such a nontraditional way that they would define it out of existence. . . The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us." I believe that this is the time we are in.
Sister Beck has said, "Families worldwide are being assaulted and weakened by corrupt practices and false teachings. Therefore, whether we are married or single, old or young, we have a duty to defend and practice the truths found in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." " She has also said, "We cannot sit and act like victims. This is the fault of a determined adversary and we have to take responsibility of defending our homes." And finally, from Neal A. Maxwell, "Unless we are filled with resolve, what will we say to the heroes and heroines of Martin's Cove and the Sweetwater? That 'we admire you, but we are reluctant to wade through our own rivers of chilling adversity?' By divine appointment, these are our days. Moreover, though we live in a failing world, we have not been sent here to fail."
Friends, if you live in Washington State or know people who do, please get the word out and find out how you can get your name on a petition. We need to collect approximately 150,000 signatures by July 22nd to bring State Bill 5688 to voters this fall. If you would like more information, please visit
www.protectmarriagewa.com.
