Your recent opinion article on the topic of same-sex marriages saddened me. Not only as a gay man, but as a forward-thinking American citizen, I whole-heartedly disagree with you on your views. No matter what kind of intentions President Obama had for announcing his support of same sex marriage, he will be relieved one day when he finds his beliefs to be on the right side of history.

You say, “The biological premise of the joining of one man and one woman is propagation of the species.” If that's true, why should elderly people be allowed to get married? Or heterosexual couples who can't conceive children? Should they be banned from marriage and the rights that come with it because procreation will not be a part of their matrimony? I probably shouldn't even venture into the topic of same-sex couples adopting; God forbid the millions of children in orphanages and foster homes find a loving and caring home.

Also just in case you are unaware, animals have no legal standing in the sense of marriage. They physically don't have the capacity to sign a marriage contract. To me, your point insinuating that same-sex marriages will lead to other “kinky arrangements”, sounds like a cheap blow stemming from a societal fear to accept something that may appear to be “uncommon.”

And if you think gay couples will ruin the sanctity of marriage, what do you think about Britney Spears' 55-hour marriage to Jason Allen Alexander or Newt Gingrich's three marriages? Why aren't you writing letters about Kim Kardashian's display of ostentatious exploitation of the holy sanctity of marriage? These marriages certainly seem to be preserving the idea of a holy matrimony.

As a former college professor, I shouldn't have to school you by making you aware that church and state are separate entities. Although marriage has religious connotations and practices, the word is one defined by our government. Marriage grants benefits that civil unions do not.

How exactly would legalizing same-sex marriage directly affect your own marriage? Where in Connecticut or Massachusetts, among other states, has same-sex marriage led to negative consequences? Maybe you think legalized same-sex marriage will increase the likeliness of making your children or grandchildren gay. Might it lead to the demise of your own marriage? I have a simple answer for you: No. Straight couples conceive gay babies. Regardless of whether or not same-sex marriage is legalized, gay children will still be born and will still want to be treated as equal citizens. Just imagine, as impossible as you may claim it would be, that someone in your family was gay — would you honestly want the government and society to be able to deny them happiness, and even more importantly societal acceptance?

I don't think you have any idea the kind of torture it is to grow up in a society that doesn't view you as legitimate. Hearing people claim that it is a phase or a disease that can be cured makes homosexuality appear toxic to a child. How many children committing suicide will it take to get people like you to realize it's not a choice? This fundamental fight for marriage isn't just about wanting equal rights. It's teaching children to accept others and to bring our country to a new level of compassion and pride. If the civil rights movement serves as any kind of example, it shows that decisions involving minorities should not be left up to the majority.

Also, I don't “embrace” the gay lifestyle. I was born gay. It is just another one of my labels: white, southern, student, etc. Being gay doesn't define me; it only classifies my sexual orientation. The sooner our society realizes and accepts this, the closer we will be to a land true to its words of “all men are created equal.”

You may find my response cynical, but I'm just trying to set you straight, no pun intended, on the issues I have with your article. Humans are fortunate enough to understand how to love; no one should be judged for how they direct that love.

Bailey Moon

Georgetown

Bailey Moon is a sophomore at NYU, double majoring in dance and journalism.