An open letter to Josh Mandel from his cousins

To continue the narrative of the final days of the election season, you may find it interesting to read a letter, in its entirety from from members of the Mandel family to Josh Mandel, Republican candidate for the U.S.  Senate, forwarded  to me by a reader:


FYI

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> Open Letter to Josh Mandel, Republican
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> Candidate for U.S. Senator from Ohio
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> Dear Josh,
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> Four years ago you came into our family. We still remember the excitement
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> surrounding your wedding, and how happy our family members were as they
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> described it afterwards. So we were deeply saddened when you announced during
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> your October 18th debate with Senator Sherrod Brown that you believe only some
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> people should share this right to marry the person they love, while others should not.
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> Your cousins, Ellen Ratner and Cholene Espinoza, are among the many wonderful
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> couples whose rights you do not recognize. They were married almost eight years ago
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> in Massachusetts, at a time when it was the only state in the nation to allow same-sex
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> marriage. Their wedding, like yours, was a beautiful and happy occasion for all of us in
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> our family. It hurts us that you would embrace discrimination against them and
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> countless other loving couples in Ohio and around the country.
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> We are equally distressed by your belief that gay men and women should not be
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> allowed to serve openly in the military. Like you, Cholene spent many years in the
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> armed forces. A graduate of the Air Force Academy and an accomplished pilot, she
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> became the second woman in history to fly the U-2 reconnaissance plane. And yet,
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> you have argued that she, like many gay and lesbian soldiers, should be forced to live
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> a life of secrecy and lies.
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> Josh, as you know, our roots are deep in the Cleveland area and we have friends and
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> family we love throughout Ohio. This family is sprawling and diverse, but it has
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> always believed strongly in the values of equality and inclusiveness. Your
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> discriminatory stance violates these core values of our family. Nevertheless we hope
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> that over time, as you advance in years and wisdom, you will come to embrace the
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> values of inclusiveness and equality as well.
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> Your cousins,
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> Michael Ratner, Bruce Ratner, Karen Ranucci, Pamela Lipkin, Rebecca Ratner,
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> Elizabeth Ratner, Patrick Markee, Jacob Ratner. Ana Ratner