Letter to the Editor: In response to a comparison of gays to cannibals.

LeftPeopleFinishFirst

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Tue Apr-06-04 05:47 PM
Original message

Letter to the Editor: In response to a comparison of gays to cannibals.

While browsing in today's local paper... I came across:

ORIGINAL LETTER TO EDITOR:
"I wish to complain that cannibals do not get the same rights as others. I was born a cannibal, and my whole life, I have only eaten human flesh. Because of the laws in this country, I am not allowed to kill anyone to eat. I am starving because of this, and I feel I should have just as much right as anyone else to eat.

Ok, the truth is that I am not a cannibal and have never killed anyone. I just wrote this story to show how ridiculous gay marriage rights activists sound. The fact is that homosexuals have the same rights as heterosexuals have and that is that we can all marry people of the opposite gender. People can love and care for othres without having to marry them. Marriage just allows us to have sex with others and be pleasing in God's eyes doing it.

Same gender sex is digusting and as degrading as cannibalism and should not be rewarded by the government. Just like cannablism, homosexuality is a bad choice."
- James Patrick, South Glens Falls

My response ( I'll leave this up here for your edits, suggestions, opinions, etc):

I was compelled to write a response to Mr. James Patrick of South Glens Falls, whose letter was published in Tuesday�s Post Star. He illustrates his apparent hatred of the homosexual lifestyle with a colourful story about cannibalism. I fail to recognize this ludicrous comparison between a loving couple and a savage act of destruction of human life as valid. They are both lifestyle choices, yes, but their effects are radically different. In a society that has become increasingly cold, we should welcome any couples dedicated to providing a nurturing and caring environment.

If we are going to compare homosexuality to cannibalism as Mr. Patrick has done, why are we not comparing the scores of marriages gone awry or the destruction of family done by heterosexuals as well? To me, Mr. Patrick�s argument is senseless; he says that he personally feels homosexual sex is �disgusting�� what if I should think the opposite? Why would the government reward the heterosexual with the institution of marriage if I personally found it disgusting?

Obviously, Mr. Patrick�s religious morality dictates his opinion on same-gender sex, but this religious morality should not dictate state or national law. If we allow fundamentalists to influence our laws regarding the union of two people, then we are furthering the intrusion of church and state. This continuing oppression of a group of people (homosexuals) takes our country backward. Once, our laws opposed to interracial marriage. Once, our laws opposed minorities and women. With time, these problems have vanished and instead we have progressed forward. It is time now to grant these same rights to homosexuals. We as a society should not be so quick to judge, but more in tune with each other.

Being straight and raised Christian has taught me something Mr. Patrick has yet to learn. Though the Bible expresses a view on homosexuality, Christians also believe our god is a selfless god, who looks over the defenseless and oppressed. Like the Jews were oppressed, so are the people of the GLBT community. Like the poor, the leper, the beggar, and the blind man� they are oppressed by those opposed to change. If God is indeed the merciful god she is believed to be, she is looking down onto our current fundamentalists and moralists, shaking her head in astonishment at the lack of compassion they display for their fellow man.