I am very troubled about the gay marriage proposal currently before the Legislature. This bill is not about protecting their rights or the safety of gay and lesbian couples. Gay and lesbian couples have the benefits of domestic partnership which gives them shared medical and life insurance and every other benefit and protection available to a married couple.

The only purpose for this bill is to continue the breakdown of the nuclear family which provides the necessary social structure for a healthy society. The nuclear family provides the framework for children to learn appropriate male/female roles, and the support and nurturing to become future productive adults.

Already, the passage of these laws in other states has affected a number of Christian and Catholic charities. Some Catholic hospitals have had to forego government funding, and Christian and Catholic charities which perform adoptions have had to close because of their convictions.

Is this proposal truly about equality, or it is about legitimizing behavior previously thought to immoral and marginalizing those (Christian, Catholics and Jews) who continue to believe homosexuality is wrong. Passing this bill will not stop the gay community from continuing to float legislative proposals to regulate speech, and continue to marginalize those who would stand and oppose their behavior as wrong.

Julie McBurney, Richland