Friendlies!
Another mistake made by Bush
Perhaps people who oppose the stem cell research have never had anyone that has Alzheimer's. Perhaps they have forgotten about President Reagan's family having to deal with this devastating disease. Or Michael Fox's ordeal with MS.
Any ordinary person that has to deal with either of these diseases realizes how much help this research could help their loved ones. The stem cells that would be used are ones that will be destroyed anyway. We have no way of knowing how much this research could increase our medical knowledge, or what other disease it could help.
Have you ever watched a loved one die from cancer? It's possible the research could bring forth a break in cancer treatments. I think our president has made another mistake.
Glenda Dale Funk
Marriage rights for gays
This letter is in response to William Murchison's article regarding marriage rights for gay Americans ("Judicial common sense," July 18 Editorials).
As a gay American, I have much in common with Mr. Murchison. I pay taxes, as he does; work hard, as he does; and exercise my right to vote, as he does. Why then would he be grateful that I am denied the same "rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" that he has?
He makes an interesting statement regarding the language in the New York court decision: "A court should not lightly conclude that everyone who held this belief was irrational, ignorant or bigoted." Tell me, Mr. Murchison, when numerous state supreme courts upheld laws banning interracial marriages was "everyone" correct with this irrational, ignorant and bigoted mindset? At that time, the majority treated black Americans as trash, so was this behavior logical for "everyone" to participate in?
Regarding the statement, "Until a few years ago, it was an accepted truth for almost everyone whoever lived, in any society in which marriage existed, that there could be marriages only between participants of different sex," tell me, Mr. Murchison, was hanging a black man because he dared to look at a white woman an "accepted truth" that doing so was preventing a rape? It has taken years of injustice for Jewish Americans, Chinese Americans, black Americans and Native Americans to receive the level of equal treatment they have today, though it is still far from equal. Did the myths, lies and stereotypes directed at these cultures make sense to you because the majority held them to be "accepted truths"?
Regarding tradition, tell me, Mr. Murchison, does a tradition of injustice give any American the right to deny justice to another? Are you suggesting that tradition-based behaviors are logical for that reason? And if a judge recognizes this continued injustice, does a decision to change it take away your rights because they recognize mine?
I continually hear the statement that if gay Americans are allowed to marry the institution of marriage is threatened; I have yet to hear how. In 1963, I remember this exact same statement being made in our church by a couple who felt interracial marriage would "destroy the sanctity and tradition of marriage as ordained by God." That was the "accepted truth" at that time. Thank God we've at least gotten this far. It gives me hope, and as long as I have hope, I will not bow down to anyone's "accepted truth" that I am less than they are.
This is the bottom line: A whole bunch of people want gay Americans to be labeled as second-class, deviant sexual predators. (I can remember the same statements being made about young black men when I was a child.) But, oops, they can't say it out loud because state and federal data prove that straights, not gays, are the predominate pedophile population in this country. So now the only way to label us as second class is to say we're threatening the institution of marriage.
How does the marriage of two gay Americans threaten a marriage of two heterosexuals? Do you think that if I'm allowed to marry I'll try to prevent heterosexuals from doing so? What's wrong, Mr. Murchison, do you think I would try to copy hate?
Doris E. Bratton
Kempner
Published in the Tuesday edition of the Lampasas Dispatch Record, August 1, 2006
Perhaps people who oppose the stem cell research have never had anyone that has Alzheimer's. Perhaps they have forgotten about President Reagan's family having to deal with this devastating disease. Or Michael Fox's ordeal with MS.
Any ordinary person that has to deal with either of these diseases realizes how much help this research could help their loved ones. The stem cells that would be used are ones that will be destroyed anyway. We have no way of knowing how much this research could increase our medical knowledge, or what other disease it could help.
Have you ever watched a loved one die from cancer? It's possible the research could bring forth a break in cancer treatments. I think our president has made another mistake.
Glenda Dale Funk
Marriage rights for gays
This letter is in response to William Murchison's article regarding marriage rights for gay Americans ("Judicial common sense," July 18 Editorials).
As a gay American, I have much in common with Mr. Murchison. I pay taxes, as he does; work hard, as he does; and exercise my right to vote, as he does. Why then would he be grateful that I am denied the same "rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" that he has?
He makes an interesting statement regarding the language in the New York court decision: "A court should not lightly conclude that everyone who held this belief was irrational, ignorant or bigoted." Tell me, Mr. Murchison, when numerous state supreme courts upheld laws banning interracial marriages was "everyone" correct with this irrational, ignorant and bigoted mindset? At that time, the majority treated black Americans as trash, so was this behavior logical for "everyone" to participate in?
Regarding the statement, "Until a few years ago, it was an accepted truth for almost everyone whoever lived, in any society in which marriage existed, that there could be marriages only between participants of different sex," tell me, Mr. Murchison, was hanging a black man because he dared to look at a white woman an "accepted truth" that doing so was preventing a rape? It has taken years of injustice for Jewish Americans, Chinese Americans, black Americans and Native Americans to receive the level of equal treatment they have today, though it is still far from equal. Did the myths, lies and stereotypes directed at these cultures make sense to you because the majority held them to be "accepted truths"?
Regarding tradition, tell me, Mr. Murchison, does a tradition of injustice give any American the right to deny justice to another? Are you suggesting that tradition-based behaviors are logical for that reason? And if a judge recognizes this continued injustice, does a decision to change it take away your rights because they recognize mine?
I continually hear the statement that if gay Americans are allowed to marry the institution of marriage is threatened; I have yet to hear how. In 1963, I remember this exact same statement being made in our church by a couple who felt interracial marriage would "destroy the sanctity and tradition of marriage as ordained by God." That was the "accepted truth" at that time. Thank God we've at least gotten this far. It gives me hope, and as long as I have hope, I will not bow down to anyone's "accepted truth" that I am less than they are.
This is the bottom line: A whole bunch of people want gay Americans to be labeled as second-class, deviant sexual predators. (I can remember the same statements being made about young black men when I was a child.) But, oops, they can't say it out loud because state and federal data prove that straights, not gays, are the predominate pedophile population in this country. So now the only way to label us as second class is to say we're threatening the institution of marriage.
How does the marriage of two gay Americans threaten a marriage of two heterosexuals? Do you think that if I'm allowed to marry I'll try to prevent heterosexuals from doing so? What's wrong, Mr. Murchison, do you think I would try to copy hate?
Doris E. Bratton
Kempner
Published in the Tuesday edition of the Lampasas Dispatch Record, August 1, 2006
posted by Casey Wade Norman at 8:06 AM
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