Naples Becomes 15th Major Daily to Urge A NO on 2

Naples Daily News
10/14/2008

Ballot title: Florida Marriage Protection

This one is misleading, mean-spirited and so unnecessary — far beneath what ought to be the dignity of this amendment process.

Gay marriage is already banned in Florida by law. This amendment is piling on.

In its move to recognize man-woman marriage as the only legally recognized union in Florida, the amendment threatens to hurt other couples who live together, including men and women of all ages, even seniors with hospital visitation rights and survivor’s benefits.

Opponents say the amendment could threaten private-employee benefit provisions already in place for major Florida private employers such as Disney, Office Depot, Ryder and Bank of America.

Proponents issue this challenge: Show us anyone who has lost a single cent in any state where this self-proclaimed national movement has enacted a “marriage protection” rule.

Opponents are ready for that one: That is true, for now, only because of costly legal battles against those rules in states such as Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Utah.

Couples who are unmarried for whatever reason should not have to relinquish access to fair benefits in exchange for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Sometimes voters sleepwalk through constitutional amendments. This one ought to wake them up. They ought to make sure to vote “no” to protect themselves from this “protection” amendment.