Proponents of Equality:  III                               

Bigots: III

Ron D'Amico is helping keep the balance in the Post-Gazette Letters to the Editor count when it comes to marriage equality.

I am writing to express my extreme pleasure with Sen. Daylin Leach and his move to legalize same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania ("Senator Pushes Bill to Allow Same-Sex Marriage," May 28). He is exactly correct when he says that this basic civil right should be available to all Pennsylvania citizens. Five other states (soon to be six) already allow this basic civil right to be exercised by its gay and lesbian couples, and it is definitely coming on a national level very, very soon.

I believe this is the reason that people such as Sen. John Eichelberger are pushing to enshrine discrimination in our state constitution. They know that denying this basic civil right is unconstitutional unless they do so! I mean, what part of "equal protection under the law" do they not understand?

Sing it, my friend!  Call out the bigots for their desperate ploys to cling to our "Separate, but Equal" balance in Pennsylvania. 

Ron nails all the essential points:

As far as the people who say put it up for a public vote, I think the Founding Fathers would be aghast to think that the rights of the minority might be decided by the will of the majority. They wrote the Constitution to specifically avoid this scenario!

I do think it's important to note that these marriages would be civil, not necessarily religious, in nature. No church would be forced to perform a ceremony it is opposed to performing. It's the legal recognition we're after, not the church's blessing.

Yes, civil rights are not at the will of the people.  Yes, religious rites are a smokescreen issue. 

The letters are neck and neck.  Marriage equality isn't driving the degree of letter writing as in past years, but do not underestimate the impact of this section in the paper.  Pick up your pens and tilt that balance in the favor of equality for all.