Strong stance on crucial issue

Re “The myths of Prop. 8,” editorial, Nov. 2

For many months, I have complained to my family that The Times’ editorials frequently display a muddled, wishy-washy content, attempting to appease a diverse audience and avoid losing more subscribers.

Not so, however, on Sunday, when the editors looked at Proposition 8, provided the evidence to refute the claims of its supporters and gave a clear and frank appraisal.

This kind of statement on crucial issues of our time is the hallmark of a great newspaper. I am proud to be a Times subscriber once again.

Dick Johnson

Claremont

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I agree with so much of your editorial against Proposition 8. It is a shame you had to invoke bigotry in its final thought.

I have been working on securing legal rights for same-sex couples since 1985, and I served on the task force that led to Los Angeles becoming one of the first major cities in the world to recognize same-sex couples and offer them benefits, in 1988. Although I have seen my share of bigotry against lesbians and gay men, calling Proposition 8 supporters bigots insults many people who are struggling with this issue. Gay or straight, we all grew up with an understanding of marriage and civil society that did not include homosexuals or viewed them as sick, sinners or criminals.

It is only in the last 50 years that homosexuals have fought to take their rightful place in our communities as equal individuals. And it is only since the mid-1980s that we have begun to achieve legal recognition for our relationships.

The domestic partnerships that L.A. helped pioneer have helped a lot of people -- very possibly a majority -- understand that our relationships are as important to us and our children as the ones that we were raised in were to our parents. But 20 years is not a long time.

People of goodwill who are still wrestling with this are not bigots. This is the kind of intemperate language that makes it harder, not easier, for same-sex marriage to ultimately prevail.

David Link

Sacramento