Mormon Leaders Time Church Letter to be Read in CA Congregations
On Gay Pride Day
Meanwhile back at the ranch . . . gay couples I know are quietly fixing straight couple's mistakes

A letter sent out to all California LDS Stake Presidents and Leaders last week, wasn't read this past Sunday, but instead will be timed to be read on Gay Pride day, June 29, 2008. From this letter yet to be read to LDS Congregations:
In March 2000 California voters overwhelmingly approved a state law providing that "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The California Supreme Court recently reversed this vote of the people. On November 4, 2008 Californians will vote on a proposed amendment to the California state constitution that will now restore the March 2000 definition of marriage approved by the voters.
We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.
I was a fifth generation, active LDS church member in the year 2000. But when my beloved church yard in Pacific Palisades, CA stood full of "Vote Yes on Prop 22" signs; when CA church members were called in by their church leaders and assessed a dollar amount to support Prop 22, "Only marriage between a man and woman is valid or recognized in CA," when church action was actually taken against a couple in Northern CA who put a "Vote No" sign in their yard, and when after the fateful passing of Prop 22 several gay Mormon men committed suicide--one on the church steps of his LDS chapel--my family and I left the church of our family, our friends our community, our heritage to speak out against this human rights violation our church took an very active part in.
Now the Church is at it again, with their power and money, using time and energy of local "saints," to preserve the "sacred institution of marriage."
Those words stir up so much in my soul. Almost half of sacred institutions of marriage in the US end in divorce. According to a 1999 study by Barna Research of nearly 4,000 U.S. adults revealed that 24% of Mormon marriages end in divorce. So it seems that even the "Saints," are having trouble with this sacred institution. Yet they want to deny it to others who they feel will destroy it.
I have several homosexual friends. Let me tell you what they are doing while this ugly process is going on in California this year.
-Two women, a couple of more than ten years adopted an abandoned Chinese infant. Maya had been in a crib for the first twelve months of her life. She could not talk, walk, crawl or even sit up. Five years later--earlier this year, I met her and her mother at a local museum, where she chattered away about dinosaurs, and knew far more about these extinct creatures than either her mother or me. She had her sketch pad in her little backpack that she pulled out often to draw the dinosaurs. She is bright, agile and a happy, healthy child.
-Another gay couple of over thirty years together, one of them a teacher of Special Ed, was my daughter's teacher. He was recently voted teacher of the year in his state. And when school is over, is he hanging out at some gay bar? No he tutors at risk special needs children. He spends his days wiping up drool, changing diapers on twelve year olds and oh yes, he taught my daughter to drive her electric wheelchair, which totally changed her life and gave her mobility.
One my dearest gay friends, gave up going to college when his mother died. His mother was the guardian of his sister's oldest child. His sister had four children, from four different fathers. But no one was going to court about her lifestyle. Instead they were going to court about my 20 year old friend, who gave up a prestigious education to be at home with his 6 year old nephew and make sure he had good chance at life.
I have another gay friend who has taught school in remote Kenya, and in some of the roughest New York City neighborhoods. He and his partner are saving money right now to buy a larger apartment so they can adopt teens, who are struggling in a foster system that does not have enough money or energy to give each child a chance.
So since all my friends are very busy helping children who would otherwise not have a very much chance in this world, I'm afraid they will not have much time to spend in CA promoting Gay rights. But somehow their "Christian brothers and sisters, who often refer to my friends as those who are bringing plagues of evil into this world and as those who are destroying the precious family unit, seem to have plenty of time and money for such unworthy causes. In my opinion the "precious family unit" could deal with a little stirring up. And can you imagine the help less fortunate children would receive if the same fervor, energy and money were directed at them instead of condemning gay couples and denying them equal rights in California?
Beckie Weinheimer, Author of Converting Kate Viking Books, 2008 ALA Best Books, Kliatt:Editors' choice: best of the year's hardcover YA fiction, Books of the Teen Age--NYC Public Library