By Maurine Jensen Proctor
Read here about how to contact your senators asking them to stand for the Marriage Protection Amendment. You also have the opportunity to lend your voice in defense of marriage by signing a petition that will be presented to the Senate leadership on Monday, June 5, before the debate begins. Click here to learn about the petition.
Pass this vital information on to your friends by clicking here.
It is rare, perhaps unprecedented, for the First Presidency to ask members of the Church to contact their elected officials about an upcoming vote in the United States Senate. The Church usually teaches correct principles and then asks that members become anxiously engaged on their own to protect and defend moral principles in the public square.
However, this time it is different - and we can assume that it is because the stakes are so high. In the Family: A Proclamation to the World, we are particularly told:
We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.
Thus, a letter
from the First Presidency was read in wards across the
United States on Sunday, urging members to contact
their senators and "express themselves on this
urgent matter" of "an amendment to
the Federal constitution designed to protect the traditional
institution of marriage." The vote is expected
to be held in the Senate on Wednesday, June 7.
The letter
reads, in part:
"We,
as the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles, have repeatedly set forth our position that
the marriage of a man and a woman is the only acceptable
marriage relationship."
What Does the Amendment Say?
The amendment that the Senate will be considering next week reads:
"Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.
"Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."
How Do I Contact My Senator?
The Family Leader Network provides an easy way for you to contact your senator. First, click here and take less than five minutes to fill out this form. This is required in order for you to use the "Contacted Elected Officials" system on the website. The Family Leader Network is a nationwide grassroots organization that is organizing and mobilizing people to protect family. It was started from the Meridian readership.
Next click here and enter your zip code. Your senators' names and contact information will appear here. You can call your senator, but given the volume of calls they are currently receiving, emailing your senator may be the easiest thing to do.
When you click on the word "email" a form will appear on your screen. Fill out the subject line with anything you choose - perhaps a phrase like "Support Marriage Amendment." In the line where it says "Issue Area" put "Judiciary."
Next write your own email. It can be as simple as this:
Dear Senator,
Marriage must be protected and preserved in America as the union of one man and one woman. The well being of the rising generation depends on the stability of our marriages. I urge you to support the Marriage Protection Amendment.
Sincerely,
Make sure that every voter in your household writes his or her own email. This would be a great and productive activity for Family Home Evening this evening. What could be more profitable than lending your voice to protect marriage?
What Can I Expect if I Call My Senators?
You can get your senators' phone numbers through this link http://capwiz.com/familyleadernetwork/dbq/officials/ If the line is not busy, someone will answer and all you need to say is that you are calling to ask your senator to support the marriage amendment. The person on the other end may ask for your zip code to verify that you are a constituent. You will not have to discuss the amendment, but merely indicate that you are in favor of it.
Should I Contact Senators Outside of My State?
You need to know that senators will not tally letters or phone calls that come from people who are not their constituents.
How Can I Make My Voice Heard to Senators Who Do Not Represent Me?
Meridian Magazine and the Family Leader Network are sponsoring a petition that will be on the Meridian site all this week at http://www.ldsmag.com/. The signatures on this petition will be delivered on Monday June 5 to the Senate leadership - both to Bill Frist and Harry Reid's offices.
Even if you have sent an email or called your own senator, please sign the petition. With Meridian's half a million readers, we ought to be able to quickly gather thousands of signatures. Click here to sign the petition.
Can My Voice Make a Difference?
Lawmakers do pay attention to the voice of the people. They want to champion issues that citizens clearly care about and will speak up for. Many times we hear journalists claim that the values voter is apathetic or sleepy, that issues like marriage should not be a major concern of either major political party because the people just don't care.
In reality, defending marriage is more popular than anything else on either party's agenda. If our senators hear from thousands of us, they have no choice but to pay some attention. The media will not be able to ignore us. Many voices will embolden senators to do what's right for marriage.
How Can I Become More Knowledgable?
The Family Leader Network stays current on all of the key issues confronting families in our nation. We meet every week with leaders in the Senate and the House to discuss policy being considered that impacts family and marriage. We have stayed on top of every new development regarding the Marriage Protection Amendment.
This week on Meridian we will be running several articles dealing specifically with why we need a federal marriage amendment. We will give you talking points so that you may be persuasive and articulate when you talk about this important issue with your friends and neighbors. Watch especially for articles talking about how religious freedom will be threatened if we do not protect marriage.
Don't Forget to Thank the Amendment's Co-Sponsors
If your senators are co-sponsoring the amendment still email or call them with a "Thank you for supporting the Marriage Protection Amendment." Marriage supporters must know they are backed by their constituents. They have renewed fervor for issues they know their constituents back.
Those who are co-sponsors of the amendment are listed here:
Sen. Wayne Allard - CO Sen. Lamar Alexander - TN
Sen. George Allen - VA Sen. Sam Brownback - KS
Sen. Conrad Burns - MT Sen. Richard Burr - NC
Sen. Saxby Chambliss - GA Sen. Tom Coburn - OK
Sen. Thad Cochran - MS Sen. John Cornyn - TX
Sen. Mike Crapo - ID Sen. Jim DeMint - SC
Sen. Mike DeWine - OH Sen. Elizabeth Dole - NC
Sen. Michael B. Enzi - WY Sen. William H. Frist - TN
Sen. Orrin Hatch - UT Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison - TX
Sen. James M. Inhofe - OK Sen. Johnny Isakson - GA
Sen. Jon Kyl - AZ Sen. Trent Lott - MS
Sen. Mel Martinez - FL Sen. Mitch McConnell - KY
Sen. Pat Roberts - KS Sen. Rick Santorum - PA
Sen. Jeff Sessions - AL Sen. Richard Shelby - AL
Sen. Ted Stevens - AK Sen. Jim Talent - MO
Sen. John Thune - SD
