Letters: Gay rights hit home

Re “What matters now about marriage,” Opinion, May 26

It is small consolation that David Blankenhorn changed his opposition to gay marriage because of “personal relationships,” after speaking against it for several years.

As with former Vice President Dick Cheney’s conversion, the injustices experienced by gay couples

just don’t carry much weight until they get close to home, when a family member or a friend is involved. Blankenhorn admits as much when he says he did not change “because of new studies or additional facts.”

Thank goodness the U.S. Supreme Court will likely take a more reasoned approach on Proposition 8.

Ben Nethercot

Topanga

I would say to Blankenhorn that what matters about marriage is the children. He fails to mention where the children fit into a gay marriage that has either two men or two women living together.

How does a child keep his or her head on straight when there is either no father or no mother? How does a female child living with two women learn the love and protection that only a man can provide? How does a male child living with two men learn the love and softness that only a woman can contribute?

How does the child, living in a lopsided environment, understand that a woman has her role in the marriage and that the man has his role in the marriage? It cannot be duplicated by two men or two women being married partners.

Lori Graham

Los Angeles

Re “Court could leave Prop. 8 adrift,” May 27

It’s a bit distressing to see activists relying on courts for wins while turning their backs on democracy.

There would be an upside if the U.S. Supreme Court, because of lousy lawyering, were to throw out the earlier proceedings or limit the case to the two couples who sued: Voters could get another chance to decide to include same-sex couples in the definition of marriage.

David A. Holtzman

Los Angeles

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