Dear John Boehner, Speaker

This is a letter I am sending to Speaker of the House John Boehner

Dear Rep. Boehner,

I am a resident of the 8^th District of Ohio. As you have recently taken over the position of Speaker of the House in the U.S. Congress, you must have many letters and emails coming across your desk. I understand that you do not have time to read everything, and that someone else is probably reading this for you, deciding whether or not it is worth your attention. I hope that you will read what I have to say, and consider my words carefully. You are my representative after all, and I have a great respect for you.

I am a 20-year-old college sophomore at (Some School) in (Some Town), (Some State). I am a strong believer in Christ, and I outwardly show my faith each and every day. I fight for what I believe is correct, and I do not back down when people disagree with me. I am strong in my beliefs. I voted for you in November. I have a family that cares for me, and I for them. I believe that a smaller government is better, and I do not think Universal Healthcare is going to solve our problems. In many ways, you and I share the same beliefs and values. This is not always the case though.

I am homosexual. I have been called gay in a derogatory way, been told by multiple people that I will burn in hell, and my car has even been paint-balled, all because I am gay. My parents accept me as a person, but I am sure they still do not approve of how I am choosing to live my life. I am going to be scorned and hated by many people throughout my life, just as others have been experiencing for decades. I do not choose to be who I am; however, I do choose to love, and accept everyone for who they are. Now I am not saying that you have to agree with marriage equality, but as a government official, your personal values and beliefs about how people choose to behave should sometimes be disregarded.

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) limits the rights of certain individuals in this country. Marriage equality is considered a state issue, not a federal issue. DOMA is contradictory to that very idea. Saying that the federal government will only recognize a marriage if it is between a man and a woman is discriminatory. Multiple states have already legalized marriage equality, or at least recognized marriages that were performed outside of their borders. If a state sees a marriage of two men or two women to be acceptable, then the federal government should recognize that marriage.

To make another important note, DOMA is contradictory to the constitution. President Obama believes this, and so do many Americans. It is a discriminatory act that limits the rights of certain Americans. To me, this is no different then race equality or gender equality. Both of those issues once plagued, and in some ways still do, our country. There was a time when people believed that African-Americans were lesser humans, or that women could not do as much as men. Discrimination is nothing new to this country, but through the years, America has learned to accept people for who they are. This is no different. Whether or not you believe in marriage equality, you should not limit the rights of individuals in a free nation.

I am not asking for special rights. I am not asking to be given special treatment. I simply want the right that all Americans deserve: the right to marry and live free of persecution by the government. I have done nothing wrong or illegal, and I deserve the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I hope you do not dismiss this as just another piece of mail looking for special privileges. It is not, and I am not asking for anything more than to be treated fairly. As your constituent, I hope that my voice means something to you, and that you will not allow someone that you are representing, a fellow American, to be discriminated against any longer.

Yours Sincerely

Josiah (Last Name)

To anyone who did not infer this, Ohio District 8 is John Boehner’s home district, and I am a legal resident of that district, and I am registered to vote there, even though most of the year I live at my college. I wrote this letter because of a guy in Maryland who inspired me by his letter to his state representative about things being voted on in the Maryland House this week.

I have already sent this letter to Congressman Boehner through my district’s contact email, and I will be sending a hard copy of this letter to his office in Washington D.C. tomorrow morning. I do not know if it will make a difference, or if he will even read it, but I have met him before, and I am hoping since I am one of his constituents, I will actually get noticed.