Son of Timatollah

From Sunday's News-Journal (here, next to last one):

Defeat marriage ban

Would a ban on gay marriages work toward the best interests of children, families and communities as John Stemberger claims? No, it wouldn't. [Stemberger was quoted in an article a week or so ago about a proposed Florida constitutional amendment—at the time, it was thought they had enough signatures, but that's in doubt now—to ban gay marriage.]

It's almost certain that some of the children or grandchildren of the marriage amendment's proponents will one day be in a long-term, same-sex relationship. By supporting the amendment, those proponents are increasing the likelihood that their children and grandchildren will wrongly be treated like second-class citizens. The proponents claim to support families, but the consequences of their attitudes are sham marriages and sneaking around like state Rep. Bob Allen, Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, and evangelist Ted Haggard, all same-sex marriage opponents. The proponents say they're for communities, but they want communities built on lies, not truth. Same-sex couples are just as much in love with each other as straight couples are; those with children, just as devoted to raising their children well.

The individuals in same-sex couples at the cores of those loving families have the same unalienable right to pursue happiness through marriage as those in families built around different-sex couples.

Concerned Floridians should recognize those rights and work to ensure the proposed amendment's defeat.

TIM WILSON, DeBary

Thanks to Mike Silverman for advocating and setting an example of writing letters to the editor.

Labels: gay marriage, letter to the editor