Krauthammer on Gay Rights

Charles Krauthammer’s “moderate” views (“A Parent’s Right to Shape a Child,” Column Right, May 2) on gay and lesbian rights seem nothing more than a poorly veiled attempt to silence our movement and force us back into the closet.

While he claims to support the rights of gays, he clearly states his preference for influencing everyone toward heterosexuality. History has shown that this cannot be accomplished without denying gay individuals their basic human rights. And his claim that the object of one’s affection is fixed by education, rather than genetics (or other factors), is not based on any data that I am aware of. If it were, I clearly do not remember being educated about gays by either my parents or the schools that I attended as a child. The only information that I did receive was that gays were to be hated, ridiculed and physically abused.

The columnist also states that all children should become straight so that they can grow up to be strong and healthy (could he mean AIDS-free?), have satisfying careers and a happy family life. Last time I checked, I had achieved all of these goals--as a gay man. And I managed to accomplish them with little encouragement, and much disdain, from society.

The reason that the gay rights movement advocates teaching children (in their own language and at appropriate ages) about homosexuality is not to recruit straight kids but to affirm our gay and lesbian youth and give them hope that their lives can be happy.

DWAYNE DAVIS

Costa Mesa