Letter writer motivated by bias, not tradition

Friday, February 19, 2010

To the Editor:

Ms. Zore states in her letter in the Feb. 12 Hollis Brookline Journal that marriage defined as between “a man and a woman” is a tradition thousands of years old. Really, Ms. Zore? Right now, there are 1.5 billion Muslims who are taught by their holy book that a man may have several wives. It was very common in China, the most populous nation in the world, for wealthy men to have several wives and concubines until the mid-1900s. In ancient Egypt, a civilization that lasted more than 3,000 years, brothers routinely married sisters. And Mormons, America’s most prevalent homegrown faith, had as one of its basic tenants that a man should have several wives. So, Ms. Zore, there seems to be no unanimity in a definition of marriage.

Many gay and lesbian couples have raised children successfully; many are in committed relationships. The state legislature responded to these facts by extending the definition of civil marriage to same-sex couples. The state legislature made no ruling on the “sacredness” of religious marriage ceremonies, Ms. Zore, a high percentage of which end in adultery and divorce.

Instead of railing against same-sex marriage, I really wish people like Ms. Zore would work to buttress heterosexual marriage by establishing counseling centers for heterosexuals. That would really benefit society, Ms. Zore. But instead of supporting something positive, Ms. Zore and her fellow Republican, that unmentionable legislator from Merrimack, can only attack a well-meaning legislative gesture towards god-fearing monogamous gay and lesbian families.

I hope that our fellow citizens at local town meetings will say “Enough!” when Ms. Zore’s ill-conceived warrant article is brought to a vote. I believe the people of New Hampshire will reject this mean-spirited move. I know they will; they would never enshrine among our legal statutes a law motivated by bias and discrimination.

MATT POTTER

Brookline