Dear Source:
One year ago I moved from the Virgin Islands, back to the mainland, Florida, and apparently not too soon. It is ironical that at a time when racial barriers melt away and a Black President is elected with a mandate for change, that the Virgin Islands constitutional convention chooses to discriminate against all sorts of individuals and groups of their residents.
Their gay marriage ban clearly discriminates against gays supposedly on religious principle, but that draft is also cleverly worded so as not to be against polygamous marriage, which is against the law in our country. Religion has no right to insert itself into the constitution under separation of church and state. They should take lead from the US Constitution, which refused including a "marriage act".
The VI Constitution apparently holds a lot more discrimination with the insertion of the entire wording on "native Virgin islander", and "special" rights etc. This division of the Virgin Islands population by different definitions is blatant discrimination, and for the most part racist. "Special rights" or "privilege" for any American citizen is against the US Constitution.
It is amazing how much time and money has been spent formulating a constitution that clearly is against our rights as protected under the US Constitution. I cannot wait until President Barack Bema refuses to accept and sign this travesty of American freedom.
It is time for the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) to declare a boycott on travel to the US Virgin islands.
Robert Early
North Port, Florida
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