Senate Bill 5688, the “Everything but marriage,” bill, was presented to the Legislature as a bill about benefits.

Yet Sen. Ed Murray, one of the sponsors, told the Seattle press that it is really part of a long term strategy to re‐define marriage and legalize same-sex marriage.

SB 5688 is the threshold.

Rep. Jamie Pederson, also a sponsor of the bill, has called it a “bridge“ to homosexual “marriage.” The Seattle Times editorial board agreed that with the passage of SB-5688, the Legislature should go ahead and give the homosexual activists the name “marriage“ as well.

We must reject SB-5688.

If this bill becomes law, domestic partnerships will be elevated to where there is no legal difference between marriage and domestic partnerships.

The Washington State Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) will be declared irrelevant and same-sex marriage will be imposed through the courts by litigation, claiming discrimination.

Although they were in the minority, many Legislators opposed this bill and have worked with Referendum 71, to bring SB-5688 to a vote of the people.

The Gregoire Administration has not been able to accurately assess the actual cost of implementing all aspects of SB-5688.

It is fiscally irresponsible, in these extreme economic times.

Sen. Dan Swecker says, “A domestic partnership diverts rights and resources from a family to an unrelated adult. These include benefits for dependent children, end-of-life decisions by older children for elderly parents and inheritance rights of all surviving family members, just to name a few.”

The homosexual community emphasizes the fact that they have biological children, yet no child is ever produced by a same‐sex relationship.

There is always an opposite sex partner involved and they can lose their rights as well.

Support natural marriage. Reject SB-5688.

Homosexual rights, or equality, as they call it, are not equal to civil rights. Homosexuality is not equal to ethnicity.

The gay movement has evolved. Historically, homosexual behavior was defined as an “act” — sodomy.

Later it was elevated to be a “condition” — homosexuality.

In recent years it has become “gay“ — an identity.

There is no medical evidence to support the idea that people are born homosexual.

Homosexuality is not equal to ethnicity and must not be treated the same as civil rights.

Homosexuals have the legal right to live as they choose, but must not be given the right to re­define marriage.

To treat homosexual union as marriage, with or without the name —even in terms of rights and privileges, is to fake equality between two fundamentally unequal relationships.

SB-5688 is an attempt to deconstruct marriage as it has existed throughout all human history.

This unique and exceptional relationship that connects a man and a woman genetically to a child is the cornerstone of every successful society in history and is the master plan of the Creator.

There is no other relationship that meets these criteria for marriage. Only natural marriage provides generational sustainability.

Rejecting SB-5688 is not rejecting or hating individuals. It is not taking something from someone.

It is rejecting their attempt to redefine and deconstruct marriage, normalize homosexuality and rewrite our children’s textbooks.

Rep. Matt Shea has said, “At the founding of our country we made the conscious decision to promote marriage between one man and one woman above all other legal unions because of its inherent value to children and society. Rejecting SB-5688 will help us preserve that decision for another generation.”

This is your time to speak.

Gary Randall is president and chairman of Faith & Freedom.