To the Editor:
In regard to Tim Bessler’s letter to the editor on the Feb. 23:
Mr. Bessler seems to miss the point of the issue entirely. The
First Amendment of the United States of America’s Constitution
specifically states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion …” To hold the beliefs of a few
religions, as there are many religions in the world that are open
and accepting of homosexuality, over the rights of a substantial
group of citizens, is exactly what that part of this amendment was
written to prevent.
The issue in question is that currently a large group of the
population is being denied rights that are available to the rest of
the population for purely religious reasons. While Mr. Bessler is
right that in many religions marriage is a sacrament, what he fails
to understand is that any religion that wishes to refuse to perform
same-sex marriages will be allowed to continue to do so. That’s
also the reason for separation of church and state; the state
cannot force churches to allow practices that are against their
beliefs. However, we as homosexuals are being denied both the
ability to receive a civil marriage license and a marriage by a
justice of the peace, both of which are provided by the government
alone without religious involvement.
Mr. Bessler’s religion, and any other, may continue to exclude
gays and lesbians from being married; that is their right. It is
the state-sponsored discrimination that has to end.
Ian Mathis
Political science and chemistry
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