Response to William Mattox Jr. Editorial ...

Note: this letter is in response to an editorial in the 8/21/2001 USA Today. Your can read (or respond to)the entire editorial at the USA Today Site.

8/21/2001

Editor,

William Mattox Jr. writes that same-sex marriage sends his daughter the wrong message (Forum, Aug. 21). Expressing "sympathy" for homosexuals, Mr. Mattox elaborates on an odd comparison of same-sex unions to bigamy. He asserts that any partnership, not of one man and one woman, "implicitly" teaches that the other gender is somehow made superfluous.

Mr. Mattox appears much more sympathetic to Draconian opposition to any kind of same-sex union, or any kind of legal protection for the domestic interests of gays and lesbians.

We disagree with back-door attacks on civil and individual equality. Most of us are already familiar with religious and other reasons why people may not "approve" of same-sex unions. Mattox's argument goes further. He believes he and his wife also have a stake "in what other people's sons are taught as well."

To this end, he supports amending the U.S. Constitution so that others' views on same-same unions become legally superfluous, while his prevail. No matter what our views on same-sex unions, this certainly does not sound like a good message to send to the next generation!

These views are not only partisan and mean-spirited, but constitutionally dangerous. I urge readers to write USA Today and its board of contributors to say what they think of amending the Constitution every time an issue arises that some people may not personally happen to agree with.

Alex Forbes
Castro Valley, California