RutlandHerald.com - We Are Vermont

Respecting a minority



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Published: March 26, 2009

If God created Adam and Eve to populate the Earth, the only way to continue the chain of life was for their children to have sex with each other. Does that mean God intended incest as the ideal family model? I don't think so. One example of a family described in Genesis hardly means every family must look like that.

A joint House-Senate committee held public forums on gay marriage all over Vermont last year. These were widely publicized, and every Vermonter was given a chance to speak. In every forum, even in typically conservative counties, the response was overwhelmingly in favor of gay marriage. I don't know who the opposition asked when they established their "fact" that Vermonters do not support gay marriage, but where were all of those people when the Legislature was asking for their opinion?

I believe Vermonters would support gay marriage, but it isn't appropriate to ask a minority to beg for the rights that they are entitled to under our Constitution. It is easy for a majority to deny a minority rights they themselves take for granted. If we had waited for the general public to approve women's right to vote or the abolition of slavery, I think we'd be living in a very different society today. It is hard to take a stand on change when it doesn't affect your own life. It is much easier to say, "I like things they way they are now." However, it is time to think about what is fair, just, and right. Let's set aside religion and ask, realistically, "How is your marriage going to be affected by letting two people who love each other enjoy the same right?"

ERIN WEAVER

Poultney







READER COMMENTS


NONENONE ONE,

The Constitution didn't say women had the right to Vote either. But then we changed it. That's the genius of the Constitution. It allows enlightened generations to amend it.
-- Posted by Kyle Callahan on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 1:23 pm EST

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My marriage was in a church before my God and family. It is considered a sacrament of my faith. Your agenda to use that term, 'marriage' goes against my faith and makes a mockery of the church and this sacrament. Is this any different than a cartoon featuring Allah or Muhammand and the feelings that would bring on the people of Islam. If you can't see that than you are not being tolerant of my believes and that is what will affect me. You can't just put religion aside because if you believe in a God you it is part of you. The so-called public forums were rigged. Often times a dissentor was shouted at and put down. Plus, who has the time to go to a forum on a subject you are NOT in favor of? The silent majority have spoken to the governor and he has heard us. Thank God he has the guts to act on what the people want and not some special interest group. Get your Civil Union. You have every right that I have IN THIS STATE.
-- Posted by Sense O'Reality on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 12:09 pm EST

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Amen, Erin!

The other thing the "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" crowd forgets is, how great an ideal are Adam and Eve for family values? Not only incest, but they raised Cain as well as Abel! Such is the legacy of the heterosexual poster family! Murder, fratricide, war, whoopee! Don't see many kids of gay families doing any of that.

I wonder how many children of same sex parents there are in our prisons...
-- Posted by Kevin Moss on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 10:42 am EST

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Nowhere in the CONSTITUTION does it say gays or anyone has the right to marry. I'm not a constitutional scholar but if someone can show me that I will give you a chance to change my mind. And that folks is why its not nationally accepted.
-- Posted by NONENONE ONE on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 9:44 am EST

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Good points, Erin. A majority of the anti-gay marriage opposition are armchair warriors, even if it went to a referendum I bet only half would even show up to vote on it. And your last question never yields an answer.
-- Posted by concerned citizen on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 9:42 am EST

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Erin,I wouldn't get out of bed to go speak at any forum either for or against gay marriage. I would however, get up, travel the entire length of the state to VOTE NO on any legislation that proposed gay marriage. Stick your forums. Only gays go to them.
-- Posted by NONENONE ONE on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 8:26 am EST

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Erin: Good letter. Problem is, logic doesn't work on the "anti" crowd. They have their story and they're sticking to it.
-- Posted by SC Boy on Thu, Mar 26, 2009, 5:20 am EST

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