Dear Editor,

The 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which affirmed same-sex marriage as a constitutional right, was a crucial victory for equality, individual liberty, and religious freedom.
Sadly, rumblings from our country’s reactionary fringes indicate a desire to take marriage rights away from same-sex couples, and it is entirely possible that our newly unbalanced Supreme Court will grant this malicious wish.
This cruelty can only be averted through our vigilance; it is likely that marriage rights will have to be protected at the state level. Reach out to your representatives in Michigan’s government and ask for assurances that they will protect marriage equality. Then, hold them accountable.
I recently reached out to my state Senator Rosemary Bayer, and I was assured that she is a staunch supporter of marriage equality. I also reached out to my State Representative Mike Harris, who assured me that he would support marriage equality legislation as long as there are no poison pills attached.
Michigan’s legislators should take this issue seriously and make it a priority. It is up to us to be their conscience. Write an email. Send letters. Make calls. Democracy empowers us. Hope sustains us.
Our shared humanity makes us a community.

Sincerely,
Michael Stohrer
Clarkston