SJR7 Dead in Committee (Coma is probably more accurate)

SJR7 dies in committee (for now):

Dan Parker, Indiana Democratic Party chairman, commented after the hearing, “House Democrats took a stand today against ill-crafted legislation that would have done more harm than good. This wasn’t a vote against traditional marriage; it was a vote for protecting vulnerable Hoosiers and promoting job growth. At a time when Indiana is bleeding thousands of jobs each month, the last thing we need to do is restrict our major employers and send the wrong message to companies and workers that might be looking to move here.”

None of this would have been possible without the courageous stand taken by Indiana companies like Cummins Engine, Wellpoint, Dow AgroSciences, Eli Lilly, and Emmis Communications. These corporations correctly pointed out that SJR-7 would negatively affect their ability to recruit quality employees by painting Indiana as an intolerant state to live and work in.

What does all of this mean? The amendment could be pulled back into the next session, so this could be a short lived victory, but make no mistake, it is a victory. The above quote indicates that at least some of our lawmakers understand the backwoods revival mentality of SJR7.

Hopefully as more and more states realize the negative results of similar amendments and the positive results for states who provide all families with equal protection, SJR7 will die forever.

Finally, I want to gently challenge my straight friends who choose to keep silent in those conversations about our families’ rights when we are not around to stand up for ourselves:

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

-Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor

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