Gay rights nationwide

I share with Lesli Weber (“Kudos to Gregoire,” Jan. 28) her pride that Washington has joined the ranks of enlightened states that grant marriage equality rights to our gay citizens.

My happiness is tempered, however, by a few concerns: 1) Gregoire waited until her last year in office to propose this measure, and cannot therefore be regarded as overly courageous; 2) In a living, breathing violation of the principle of the separation of church and state, she asked her priest for permission to initiate a process that truly is a moral one; 3) And, above all, this measure will merely perpetuate the patchwork quilt nature of gay rights across the country.

A better solution is a constitutional amendment granting gays equality nationwide, as with women’s voting rights and civil rights legislation for blacks.

The only political party pursuing this issue is the National Atheist Party. See our proposals at www.usanap.org.

James R. Hills

Spokane