February 8, 2004	

Tallahassee Democrat
277 N. Magnolia Dr.
Tallahassee, FL 32302 

Dear Editors:

In the February 5 story, “Residents have opposing opinions,” an officer of the Eagle Forum 
said, “Our Constitution has never recognized gay marriage.”  Leaving aside the obvious 
question of what she might have meant by “gay marriage,” and the fact that the ruling in 
Massachusetts on which she was commenting was based on the Massachusetts Constitution, the 
United States Constitution has never had any definition of marriage at all.  The U.S. 
Constitution defines the role and form of government and the civil rights of the people 
of the United States.  It is not a dictionary, a religious document, or a tool for 
oppression.


Sincerely,
Barbara Lamond Purdom			
Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators