Dear Editor:

On Tuesday morning, President Bush announced his support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex marriages. Meanwhile, hundreds of Gay and Lesbian couples continue to get married each day in San Francisco. Whether or not these marriages will be upheld remains to be seen, but the issue has now been forced and will soon be decided by our courts and legislatures. I strongly believe – and hope that more people take the stand – that it is in the best interest of our way of life and the American system of government to legalize Gay marriages.

The legalization of same-sex marriages will ensure equal rights for Gay and Lesbian couples while not hurting or in any way diminishing the existing rights of heterosexual couples. This is one of the main principles that our government was founded on – protecting the rights and liberties of all citizens while equally administering the law. If we abandon this convention now, we are taking a major step away from rule by law and the principles on which our country was founded.

Our Constitution’s authors sought to create a government that would protect minority rights and interests. While not always perfect, it has evolved into a system of government that has given us the many freedoms and rights that we enjoy – rights that so many heterosexual couples take for granted.

In the Federalist papers, James Madison, who wrote much of our Constitution, said, “… measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.” Describing a true democracy, he added, “A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party …”

Madison goes on to say that the best way to prevent this from happening is to create a republican form of government. The system of government that Madison and the other founding fathers created, our Republic, removed most decisions of government from the people and gave them to elected representatives. These officials are charged with ensuring that justice and the rule of law prevail and do not become subordinate to the will of the majority.

While this may come as a shock to many people who believe in the concept of majority rule, the benefits of rule by law are clear. For example, if a majority of people wish to legalize slavery, our system of government attempts to protect the minority from this action. However, if we lived under majority rule, then the minority party would be forced into a life of slavery. While this is an extreme example, it demonstrates that majority rule does not protect minority rights and interests.

Gays and Lesbians are a minority, but still deserve the same rights and freedoms as all other U.S. citizens. This mean-spirited amendment will not accomplish anything but to cause pain and anguish for Gays and Lesbians. It is an affront to our system of government and our belief in freedom, liberty and equality.

In our history, the concept of rule by law has not always prevailed. It took more than a century after our Constitution was ratified before women and racial minorities gained protections, and Gays and Lesbians still have not attained full equality. If this amendment passes, it will not be the end of the Gay rights movement, nor will it spell immediate doom for our way of life, but it will be a major step in the wrong direction. Do we really want to be moving backwards? Shouldn’t our goal be to strengthen our government and our civil liberties? I encourage you, your readers and our elected officials to take decisive action now to defend our Constitution and our civil liberties.

Sincerely,

Gabe Garcia

Dear Editor,

Like the proverbial chickens that have come home to roost, a president of the United States has come out against redefining marriage big time. George Bush has said he now supports an amendment to the U. S. Constitution banning same-sex marriage. As one who doesn’t believe in the government controlling my personal and deep relationships with others, quite frankly I’m not surprised that those who do have finally generated this powerful a response. The doers have made this decision easier by convincing bicoastel activist judges, moreover, of their right to love and honor their partners – as if this can only be had by getting a piece of paper from a stranger!

This response has also been had by the political mechanations of a vigilante mayor anxious to please a militant faction in his city and making a name for himself. Given that his city has been ruled by the lunatic fringe the last thirty years, this is no great surprise. That he has done this by mocking both State law and a solid majority of voting lawmakers, makes me nostalgic for Huey Long – a demagogue of the Left who began crusading to help the oppressed and ended helping himself to the rest of society. Of course, some would compare Gruesome Gavin Newsom more to the risk-taking I-have-a-scream Howard Dean. Mostly, because of their Bush demonizing.

The other night I heard a Massuchusetts lesbian complaining she needed that piece of paper “because I have two sons to raise.” Well, my mother also raised sons, but her motives were not to make some sexist statement that has less to do with motherhood and more with male bashing.

Children, to her, were not exbibits but something she was proud to have. Using kids this way is a slur on children. Should marriage get to be redefined, look for the polygamists to want this next because they have “a right to love one another and have it recognized.” Are we, after all, any better than they are?

John Primavera

Dear Editor,

I am so tired of Nicole’s complaining. The one thing we need in this community now as we fight for our rights is a positive attititude. We don’t need some loud mouthed, self absorbed, pissed off drag queen complaining about everything. We’ll never get anywhere if we have people like her ripping us apart from the inside. We already have enough sharks trying to destroy us from the outside. So all I can say is, Nicole, shut up and put on a happy face.

Robert Bonner