John Laird’s Sept. 9 column, “Checking facts,” takes a cheap shot at traditional marriage supporters whom he implies are either misogynists or racists. The Columbian’s editorial page editor surely knows that extending the vote to women and military service to blacks did not change the nature of voting or military service. However, extending the legal right to marry to same-sex couples does change the nature of marriage.
What makes marriage a unique relationship is the complementarity of man and woman, both physical and emotional. This “difference of the sexes” allows their genital intimacy to bring new life into the world. A powerful bond between the husband and wife enables them to care for each other and their children, enjoying the good times and enduring the hard times, faithful throughout life and thus providing an irreplaceable example to their children and grandchildren and communities.
Traditional marriage is the only firm foundation for a standard of sexual morality that challenges everyone to reject sexual promiscuity, self-indulgence and the resulting personal and social pathologies characteristic of modern life, including 40 million or more legalized abortions since Roe v. Wade in 1973.
Say “yes” to life and vote “no” on Referendum 74.
Gerry Parmantier
Vancouver
