LGBT Democrats of Virginia: Enough is Enough, Stop Lying, Bob!

On June 2, 2011, Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, infamous for being the “Marshall” of the Marshall-Newman Amendment which discriminates against same-sex couples in Virginia by prohibiting their marriage or recognition of their marriage, responded to the flying of the rainbow flag by the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank in recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month by writing a letter to the bank’s president, Jeffery Lacker, demanding that the flag be taken down. In his letter, Delegate Marshall perpetuates lies in support of his demand.

The LGBT Democrats of Virginia responded to Delegate Marshall today in a letter, contending that the reasoning he uses for his anti-LGBT activism were falsehoods, and demanding that he stop lying to the people of Virginia.

Here is the text of the letter:

June 3, 2o11

Dear Delegate Marshall:

In your letter yesterday to President Jeffrey Lacker of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank, you condemned the flying of the rainbow flag outside of the bank building. While the rainbow flag has been used by various groups for over 500 years as a symbol of diversity and hope, you condemned the flying on the flag in recognition of June being federally recognized as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

While we have never doubted your fierce opposition to the LGBT community, as shown by your sponsorship of the discriminatory anti-marriage amendment in the Constitution of Virginia, we are outraged by the claims you made in your letter to President Lacke as the basis for why the rainbow flag should not be flown.

In your letter, you wrote that being gay, “shortens lives, adds significantly to illness, increases health costs, promotes venereal diseases.”

We contend that there is no difference in the lifespan or health of responsible members of the LGBT community when compared to responsible heterosexuals, and that such language as you have used to support your opposition to the flying of the rainbow flag is inflammatory, intolerant, and deceptive. Moreover, your claim of moral superiority seems to blind you to the intolerance you have expressed.

As Virginia’s own Thomas Jefferson said, “I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others.”

Delegate Marshall, we call on you stop perpetuating ignorance and falsehoods. It’s time to stop lying to the people of Virginia.

Sincerely,

– Terry Mansberger
Chair, LGBT Caucus
Democratic Party of Virginia

– Tiffany M.  Joslyn
President, Virginia Partisans
The PAC of LGBT Democrats of Virginia