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November 14, 2009

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Letter: There’s no gay agenda in gay marriage

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 | 8:36 a.m.

Opponents of gay marriage are missing a very important point. Gay marriage is not a question of imposing some supposed gay agenda. Rather, gay marriage is a question of equal protection. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution requires that all people receive equal protection under the law.

This means not only that people will receive like punishments for transgressions, but that they shall also enjoy all the same benefits the law confers. To deny people the legal benefits that accrue to married people (lower tax rates, inheritance and visitation rights, etc.), simply because their life partners are of the same sex, is certainly unconstitutional.

Contrary to what opponents will tell you, gay marriage, then, does not lead to legalized polygamy or bestiality since no one, gay or straight, will have the right to marry more than one person or to marry a cat. The point is that the law is the law for everyone.

Finally, if opponents of gay marriage want to outlaw gay marriage and stay within the bounds of the Constitution, all they need to do is repeal all laws that confer special benefits on married people. Once that is done, no gay person will be denied the equal protection of the law by not being allowed to marry.

John Farrish, North Las Vegas

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