My letter of support for the amendment

[MikeWaters]

Dear Senator Cornyn,

I personally do not favor the amendment to the Constitution that would define marriage as being between “a man and a woman.” My great-great-grandmother immigrated from Sweden as a young girl, and crossed the plains with her family as part of the Mormon migration west in the 19th century. She eventually married and settled in the Arizona desert. Her husband took ill, and before he died, he asked his good friend to marry his wife and care for her, despite the fact that his friend was already married. This he did. My great-great-grandmother bore him children, one of whom was my great-grandfather.

So I am, in part, the product of a non-traditional marriage. The sort of marriage that many men were imprisoned for. I don’t feel like my ancestors were immoral or wrong. They were following the dictates of their conscience.

Though Mormons who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practice polygamy, there are certain religious sects who continue the practice. How can I in good conscience deny these people the ability to marry as they see fit, when I would not deny my own ancestors? I would be a hypocrite.

And so I do not favor this amendment.

It may come as some surprise that I now urge you to vote in favor of this amendment. I do so because I have been asked by the President of my church to advocate for its passage, though the irony of such a request, given the history of our church, is not lost upon me. By making this request, I discharge my responsibilities as a member of my faith.

But I do not tender up my conscience, which remains firmly opposed to this amendment.

Sincerely,

Mike Waters