Tom Wimsatt

Mount Airy, Md 21771-7490

The Gazette

218 Main Street

Mount Airy, Md.  21771

Dear Gazette,

In response to Bob Hilton’s Commentary in the April 1 issue, “Gay Marriage, What‘s in a Name”, I must  point out to him several things to consider:

1)  If it is true that “Sexual matters are private and are the business of none but the persons involved...” then there should be no problems with child pornography, bestiality, polygamy, incest, prostitution or a host of other “sexual matters” that are still held as unacceptable behaviors in our society.  Are you ready to open the gates to all of those behaviors? 

2)  We live in a country governed by a representative government.  That means the government and its policies are representative of its people - “...by the people, for the people...”  The laws we enact, the policies we adopt, and the leaders we choose necessarily reflect our values and our wills.  What we approve and what we deny are codified in our laws and are statements of who we are as a people and a country.  “5 percent of our citizenry” is not a representative sample of the will of the people.

3)  With freedom comes great responsibility.  Yes, we are a free people in a free country but we must use our freedoms responsibly.  For example:  the freedom of speech is only allowed up to the point where it becomes a danger to others, e.g. it is unacceptable to yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater when there is no fire.  Defamation of character is still a prosecutable offense.  Placing limits on what constitutes a marriage is something that is necessary for the good of society in general .

4)  “A rose by any other name...”  The use of cover terms such as “civil union” or “domestic partnership” to avoid using the term marriage will not fool anyone.  Whether a marriage is performed by a justice of the peace in a small back room or is held as a full blown wedding ceremony in a cathedral - it is still a marriage.  Gay marriage by any name will damage the roots of marriage in this country.

Because marriage between one man and one woman is the best institution for committed couples and their children, it must be protected  from all attacks.  We cannot allow the government to follow a path that does not promote societal good.  Our government represents who we are as a people and the laws of the land are our voice.