While many conservative-thinking people might think that the sky has fallen in Massachusetts since the legalization of civil same-sex marriage [“Virginia is for losers,” October 31], it has not. Life has been pretty much the same as it was. I find it quite interesting that so many people find me (and my husband) such a huge threat to society. We are highly educated. We both have very stable jobs and pay our bills and taxes on time. We have never defaulted on a loan. We actually donate money to a Christian organization that helps children living in poverty because we know it is the right thing to do even though we realize this organization would rather not recognize our relationship. We are productive members of society—not a threat.
Same-sex marriage is not a threat to children. If the courts and legislature really felt that gays, lesbians and same-sex couples are harmful to children, why has it been legal in most every state for gays, lesbians and couples to adopt?
What is primarily hurting children and families is the near 50 percent divorce rate plaguing this country. Dead-beat parents who don’t pay child support are a close second. And why is it fair for any of these divorced individuals to be able to cast a vote saying that others don’t have the right to marriage when they weren’t responsible enough handling their own? Why aren’t these so-called “family” organizations spending their time more effectively by doing more to reduce divorce?
Voting to ban civil same-sex marriage is not going to fix these matters. Special interest groups and organizations should come together to fix these issues and not push people to vote to abolish same-sex marriage. We need to come together and realize that we are all human beings and experience many of the same feelings and emotions. We need to find our similarities and stop trying to find differences and divide us. The more we divide the more we hurt society.
Kevin Knoblock
Cambridge, Massachusetts