Dear Editor:

After several years of attending Nightmare, I have decided this year will be my last unless major changes occur. I cannot believe that organizers would only secure SIX toilets for the entire 2,000-3000 attendees. I spent the first 30 minutes standing in one of the six lines with hundreds of others, none of which were happy. Second, the event beverages ran out before 9 pm and the beer bar had only 4 bartenders. Moe’s has three times as many for one-tenth as many people. It is the last time I will spend $5 to wait in lines to use the bathroom on Halloween. It did, however, give me and my friends an opportunity to leave early and go visit the new Chris Shaw venue, Gossip Grill, for a beer and a bathroom! Now Chris and his team know how to throw a party!

Steve Johnson

Dear Editor:

With the recent defeats in multiple states I think its time for the GLT community to rethink its position and change the way it fights for equality. Your position for a number of years has been to force gay marriage into law through law suits and legislation. This approach has not been working and has not changed the hearts and minds of the majority of the voting population. Whether their opinions are based on constitutional grounds or religion, you have not made a persuasive enough argument.

As a conservative, I have always believed in equal rights for all and smaller government. Believing in smaller and less intrusive government means keeping the government out of my bedroom and yours. I believe the government should be in the business of legalizing contracts between two people but not the institution of marriage. All marriages are really domestic partnership agreements once you take the religious aspect out of the equation. If a priest, rabbi, or other religious person will sanction your partnership in the eyes of God then that covenant between you, your partner, and God can be a ”marriage”. The government should have no role in this other than to legally recognize the partnership as they do with all other civil contracts. You need to fight for all marriages to be recognized by the State only as domestic partnerships. This takes the government completely out of marriage and is in line with the conservative position of smaller, less intrusive government. If voters won’t give you additional rights that you have a constitutional right to, then take away the government’s power for everyone. This is really the only fare and equal way to go. Equal protection under the Law would be granted and conservative philosophy would be on your side. This also upholds the separation of Church and State. The church can offer a marriage, and the state can offer a legally binding contract. Everyone wins. Everyone is equal.

Dave DesRochers