Justin Goetz

To begin, a bit of reality-there has never been a non-religious reason for homosexuals to be given lesser rights as others in secular society. So try as they might, the Right’s only response to homosexuals being made equal members of our society is two-fold-God deplores homosexuality, and equal rights for homosexuals will upset the definition of marriage.

I could call the first in question by pointing to the original Greek texts, but this isn’t theology class. On the second point, this is the finest example of Rightist scare tactics-government cannot, and will not, change the definition of marriage that churches dictate to their faithful.

The only risk of government dominating religion is had by the Religious Right’s vision that arbitrarily changes these definitions of SECULAR marriage with a constitutional amendment.

The official position of the Democratic Party is simple-we cannot and will not dictate the definition of marriage to people of differing faiths, so we advocate a SECULAR recognition of civil unions. Democrats feel this way because we do not believe that homosexuals, as human beings, should be denied the ability to see their partner on their death bed, be provided health insurance or certain tax benefits.

One last note to the Religious Right-get to know gays and lesbians. They don’t spit fire. They too have hearts, minds and dreams.

Until you recognize that this is who they are, maybe we can stop with the conversion nonsense and remember that Gospel which arches over all Christian denominations without modification-that Christ called upon us to love our neighbor, and turn the other cheek.

#1.884029:1661942133.jpg:Goetz, Justin.jpg:Justin Goetz, From the Left: