Son of Timatollah

First, my congressman's (John Mica, R, FL 7th CD) reply to my webmail (sorry, I didn't keep a copy of that) encouraging him not only to support the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act, but also to co-sponsor it:

[Letterhead image]

October 5, 2009

Mr. Timothy A. Wilson
Debary, FL 32713

Dear Mr. Wilson:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the Employer Non Discrimination Act.I appreciate your taking the time to convey your thoughts and I am pleased to respond.

I have never supported discrimination of any kind. For years our country has strived to eliminate discrimination in all areas of our society and I believe that all Americans are entitled to equal treatment. However, I chose to vote against this measure because, I do not support special treatment of any class of individuals and, since coming to Congress, I have worked to ensure that the federal government and the private sector administer their agencies and businesses in a manner that does not discriminate or provide special treatment for one person over another. Please know that I am committed to ensuring that all Americans receive equal treatment in the workplace whether it is in the Congress or the private sector and I will keep your views in mind as this legislation comes to the House Floor in the coming months.

Thank you again for informing me of your views, and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

[Signature graphic]

Next, my reply to the congressman:

Subject: Re: Correspondence from Congressman Mica
From: timwilson@mackandtim.net
Date: 09 October 2009 4:42:14 PM EDT
To: <Congressman.Mica@housemail.house.gov>

Dear Congressman Mica,

While I greatly appreciate your recent e-mail reply regarding ENDA, I have to be honest: I find your position to be disingenuous.

I have friends who are registered professional engineers who have been fired from their jobs for no reason other than that they are gay. If that can happen to a professional, what hope is there for the day laborer who happens to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

I have no reason to think that you would treat employees similarly, but you know that a not too small fraction of your supporters and the supporters of other "family values" conservatives would, and they would enjoy doing so.

Please: Look to your heart and not to the next election on this. This would be a great opportunity for you to show that you can be a leader of a Republican party devoted to respect for individual rights, instead of one that pretends to respect the individual while kowtowing to a powerful lobby of self-appointed moralists.

Do the right thing. You'll sleep better.

With sincere best wishes for you, your family, and staff,

Tim Wilson

In fairness to Equality Florida, I have to admit that it was a web form of theirs that I used to send the original note.

Labels: congressman, employment non-discrimination act, enda, mica