Respectful community dialogue crucial for same-sex marriage issue

Emotions are running very high with the issue of same-sex marriage being considered for the upcoming special session, starting Monday. While opinions are very strong on both sides, I am deeply troubled by the escalating intensity of negative, hurtful and insensitive public rhetoric on both sides.

As chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party, I see these heated discussions as an indication of how deeply personal and divisive this issue is to our state.

Hawaii Republicans believe in aloha, freedom of expression, and respectful, civil discourse with those who disagree with us. We are concerned with hateful and inflammatory language from anyone who represents themselves as Republicans. It is simply not who we are or what we stand for.

We also hope supporters of same-sex marriage will respect our freedom of religion and speech, and also be tolerant of the opinions of churches, religious leaders and many community organizations that respect traditional marriage.

The last time our party formally considered this issue was in 2010 when a resolution was passed supporting traditional marriage. But our membership has always had a diverse set of viewpoints, just as our state has.

This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is a community issue. We believe our families, people of faith and the community should be involved rather than just political parties. People should speak from the heart, as this is a deeply personal issue for so many. In 1998, the people of Hawaii were given the opportunity to vote on this issue, and we believe that they should be afforded the same opportunity to decide.

If people want to make a difference, they should engage in an open and respectful dialogue. Our legislators and community leaders should encourage their constituents to be involved in the process. There are few issues that are equivalent to marriage: it is one of the most important institutions for many of us.

This is not an issue that can be decided by 76 legislators, a governor or one political party. It will impact 1.2 million of us and the people of Hawaii should therefore be afforded the opportunity of voting a clearly-worded constitutional amendment that will resolve this issue one way or the other.

I urge those with opinions about this issue — both in support and opposition — to share their thoughts and concerns in a kind, respectful way. I urge our legislators to listen.