Joyworks Library
Letters to the Editor
Ban On Same-sex Vows Would Be The Real Sin
Sent to the Editor of The Day, New London CT on 09 February 2004 as "Marriage is a legal and civil matter - Period." Below is the version published on February 14 2004
To the Editor:
It is shortsighted and parochial to keep consenting adults from voluntarily agreeing to take responsibility for one another - for all their lives - which banning the marriage of persons of the same sex does.
Attempting to interfere in anyone's choice of life partner, especially by constitutional amendment, is just plain un-American. Isn't this still the same country that was founded by people in the search of freedom? Including freedom from religious tyranny and in pursuit of freedom of religious choice?
The only questions our legal representatives should be asking are: Does righting the injustice of prohibiting the legal marriage of one consenting adult to another consenting adult potentially harm the involved adults? Does it harm the state's interests in any way? Does it benefit the state?
Correcting Connecticut's discriminatory marriage laws harms no one and benefits the state. When any two adults make a legal commitment to being legally responsible for one another, rather than the state being left with this responsibility, the state benefits. Boiled down, it's really that simple
Marriage is most certainly created by law. Marriage must be performed by someone recognized by a legal entity to perform the legal (not religious) act - everywhere in this country. What our churches or temples recognize or approve of, or not, has nothing to do with the law.
Actions to deny anyone the freedom to marry the person we choose and who chooses us are bred of ignorance, and intolerance.
Joyce Thomas, Norwich Connecticut 06360
