Letter to the Editor

Values need to keep up with change

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Dear editor:

Silence is often interpreted as consent and so I could not let the remarks made in last week's paper pass in silence. If history teaches us anything, it is that times are changing and our social values need to keep pace.

In regards to marriage, the first question should always be: do these consenting adults really and truly love each other? In regards to parenting, the focus needs to be on whether the involved adults are willing and able to provide the best quality of life that they can for their child.

Gender does not even need to come into those answers. It should not be a primary consideration. The ability to enrich another persons life, to give and receive love -- which is SO MUCH MORE than just sex, by the way, so please don't confuse these concepts -- is not determined by your gender.

Websters Dictionary can -- and perhaps will -- be updated. As for quoting the Bible, it's overdone. Anyone can quote the Bible and their remarks can be skewed to favor more or less anything.

I try to have respect for the fact that some people are still able to draw comfort from this faith, however, I feel that basically all that is accomplished by quoting their holy text is the revealing of hostile intentions and, especially in this case, a willingness to be selectively blind. The church does not exactly have a clean record when it comes to sexual abuse, you know. If you want to get angry about something then why not that? If you are determined to go around throwing mud at other factions of society then at least have the decency to acknowledge the dirt in your own eyes.

Yeah, the kids do have enough to worry about these days. We all do. Being targeted by hateful and potentially jealous bullies is a ongoing concern.

We should not have to apologize or accept punishment just for failing to conform to your narrow and lonely world view. We should not be seen as inferior or excluded from opportunities just because we refuse to allow our definition of love to be limited by outdated stereotypes.

This might surprise you, but we are still people and we would appreciate it if you could make an effort to try and recognize that before rushing off to label us all as monsters that you can blame your troubles on. Thanks.

-- A.G. Person