Gay rights are human rights

Mr. James Nelson’s letter of May 2 begs rebuttal.

I support gay rights. I am not self-employed or well off, and I do not have lots of free time. I am a man married to a woman and cannot imagine being told we could not be wed because some dislike the concept of our love.

Mr. Nelson mentions Webster’s dictionary. “Family” yields: “The basic unit in society traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children.” If that is your criteria, then you have no problem with gay marriage.

Mr. Nelson mentions the Bible. Amongst passages forbidding shaving, shellfish and the wearing of blended fabrics (near the passage saying slavery is just fine) is a passage on male homosexuality. So if Mr. Nelson is the bearded, cotton-tunic-wearing slave owner boycotting Red Lobster, his words have credence. If not, they hold only hypocrisy.

Gay rights are human rights. I support them because I have friends and family who are gay. And, Mr. Nelson, so do you. No same-sex marriage has ever or will ever affect you or your “traditional values.” This country endows us with awesome rights as citizens, sir, but the right to discriminate is not among them.

Tim Hamm

Spokane