Mourning the addition

Dear BTL,
On Dec. 17, many of us will mourn the change in our state constitution. I am especially sad at its potential to be used to add insult to injury as many wonderful Michigan families will be singled out for second class citizenship. I offer my deep apology that in spite of all of our best efforts, we were not able to convince a majority of Michigan voters that our gay children are no less deserving of the equal protection of the law than any other citizen of this state.
For those who grieve, please remember that 40 percent of your fellow citizens did not support this amendment. This means that people of faith and members of both major parties also refused to sanction the division of our people into the deserving and the unworthy. I have no doubt that ultimately fairness will prevail. Knowing that it will take time and great sacrifice will not lessen our determination or cause us to waiver. Rather, we will gain strength in the words of Theodore Parker: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
It is imperative that we all stay involved and refuse to allow our children to be marginalized and demonized because they lead honest and open lives in same gender relationships. As parents, we know they are not heterosexuals in disguise. We will continue to applaud their courage to refuse to live lives of deceit in order to please those who seem unable to see all the complexities of human relationships.
During this season, please keep hope alive and work to make our state a fair place for all of us. We will work, not to triumph over others, but toward a community where our children and their families have the same rights, protections and responsibilities that are their birthright as citizens of our country.
Mary Scholl
President, PFLAG-Genesee County
Grand Blanc