New York Times Editorial

Below is my letter to the editor published in the July 14, 2004 New York Times. This was the day that the Senate voted on and failed to pass a proposed consitutional ammendment that would ban gay marriage. The letter is on the NY Times website here.

To the Editor:

In only 150 years, America has cast off slavery, made mighty strides against racism and thinks twice about treating women as second-class citizens. Americans should be proud that the intolerance of homosexuals, and discrimination against them, are easing and going the way of slavery and racism.

Now we read that President Bush and Senate Republicans are pushing for a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages (front page, July 12).

We must not stand idly by and allow our own government to block social progress. Our country is moving in the right direction -- toward acceptance and away from intolerance. The government needs to embrace these changes.

ED CALLAHAN
Fountain City, Wis., July 12, 2004