Letter: Gays deserve all the privileges of marriage

Friday, Jan. 23, 2004 | 5:09 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

January 24 - 25, 2004

At a time when Americans are losing jobs and American soldiers are losing their lives in Iraq, Republicans are attempting to divide our country by pushing for a constitutional amendment to prevent gay and lesbian Americans from marriage and from receiving more than 1,000 benefits granted to legally married couples.

Gay and lesbian Americans should be able to visit each other in hospitals when only family members are allowed. They should be extended proper legal protection under the property laws of the country. As Americans, but more importantly as human beings, gays and lesbians should have the right to form unions recognized by the state and they should be afforded all the tax, health, immigration and social privileges reserved for all married couples.

Until 1967, it was considered constitutional for states to outlaw marriage between people of different races. While marriage between people of the same gender is now considered illegal, I believe that such laws are as invalid as those that once prevented interracial marriage.

MICHAEL LLOYD