gay pride!

Below is a letter that was submitted to the local newspaper by a woman in my writers group. I am not sure of the pretext as to what fueled her to write this response to Mr. Boyd. I am hoping that they print it!

Dear Mr. Boyd,
I've written this letter four times over, and I admit each
version became less venomous. The issue of same sex marriage is a hot button for
me. It was with great emotion that I read J.W. because is letter to the editor in
the February15, 2006, Wednesdays edition of The Enterprise.

What are we
Americans afraid same sex marriage will cause? Why do want to censor what we
don't agree with? Does anyone honestly believe The Enterprise is promoting same
sex marriage? If so, how many stories has The Enterprise published regarding this
issue? Not many.

Do most Americans fear same sex marriage because they
think allowing a small minority of U.S. citizens to marry will propagate
homosexuality? We don't choose our sexuality and so how could something that is
not chosen be selected? Do most Americans think marriage will be degraded any
further than heterosexuals, who currently divorce at an astounding ratio of 1:2,
have already tarnished the sanctity of marriage? Do Americans truly believe that
somehow same sex marriage might spread the HIV virus to a larger population? On
the contrary, monogamy would certainly reduce the reach of this deadly disease.

We're so ready to bring Judeo-Christian values into the mix and shout
that God is on our side, but in my view God isn't in the mix when we
accept intolerance. Our willingness to shut out those members of society that we
judge as too different from most Americans is unchristian-like.

Perhaps
most Americans believe we choose our sexuality, and when some humans choose to be
homosexuals, that's out of the norm and so we punish them, we exclude them. How
painful it must be to know you're something society hates and fears. How painful
it must be to hide yourself from friends, family, and clergyman. Then why would
human beings choose to put themselves through such pain, such anguish?

I
certainly never chose to be heterosexual. I never chose to have brown hair,or to
be 5'2". I was imbued with these characteristics. It's not my choice. We are
who our Creator made us to be.

As one who grew up in a Judeo-Christian
heterosexual household, my parents told me that Jesus preached love. I learned in
Sunday school that Jesus loved all. I learned in church that Jesus touched those
that the rest of society judged untouchable. He spoke to those that most people
would not speak to. He accepted everyone. And to make sure His beliefs on love
continued He left His disciples and those that wished to follow Him a message,
one of many:

"I command you to love each other in the same way that I
love you". John 15:12

As far as being American, I thought that meant
freedom for all. To deny any citizen of the U.S. rights that are afforded most
us, is not just, is not kind,and is not loving. Historically, we've disallowed
many minorities from accessing the rights given to citizens of the United States.
Fortunately, as the years passed our wiser ancestors recognized the injustices
and found tolerance in their hearts.

I too urge you to call your
congressional representative(s), your senators, and your local officials and ask
them to show some tolerance. For if we continue choosing fear over love,
ignorance over knowledge, and intolerance over acceptance, we have only to look
across the ocean to see what happens when a nation embraces intolerance.

I agree with 100% of this letter. Why are people afraid of gay men and women?
We have all heard the slurs of fag(got), homo, queer, dyke, lezbo and we may even be guilty of saying such words.

I have known a handful of gay people in my life and never thought less of them because they were attracted to the same sex. I have to admit that one of the funnest nights I ever had out was at a gay bar in Phoenix. Was kind of bummed I wasn't hit on.

If this is such a great country why can't the government and churches accept these people for what they are. They aren't different! There is no way in hell that gay people choose to be gay. You maypercentagery small percantage of the gay population that just choose to be gay due to events in their lives. Anyway, there is no fucking sanctity of marriage anymore. If two people love each other they should be allowed to be united in marriage as I am and millions of other heterosexuals in this country. It is just plain ignorance and mis-interpretations of the bible.

How can we make laws to be biased against other because of their sexual orientation? Pure bullshit!

My wife was some horiginallved in the orginal news story about gay men and women in this area. (which I am sure was a shocker since this is redneck country) She knows a few lesbian couples and was trying to get in touch with them so they could be interviewed for the story. I hope they were able to get a word in edge wise.
strengthmagine the strenght that it takes to come "out of the closet". They open themselvebigotrya world of biggotry and social norms that are against them. Yet they still come out and say who they and what they are. Knowing there will be repercussions from doing so.

So bottom line is I support gay marriage, rights and lifestyle. Because at the end of the day they are people just like me and you.