All states can learn from Massachusetts
by Frances Matteck, Reporter

    Recently, the Massachusetts court ruled that the state cannot ban same sex couples from marrying.
   Although it is becoming less acceptable in American society to discriminate against homosexuals, polls indicate that the majority of Americans do not believe that same sex marriages should be sanctified.
   This does not make sense. If people don’t think it is right to discriminate against homosexuals, then how can they not tolerate same sex marriages?
   In 2000, Vermont legalized same sex civil unions.
   Civil unions are not the same as marriage; civil unions do not give same sex couples all of the same governmental rights, benefits or privileges that are given to married heterosexual couples.
   Nevertheless, thousands of same sex couples travel to Vermont every year to participate in a civil union. However, depending on where they live, when they return home, their home state may or may not recognize the union.
   California has a similar system; it has an official state registry for same sex couples.
   Former California Governor Gray Davis signed a bill in September of this year so that same sex couples could receive similar advantages to Vermont’s civil unions.
   Alaska and the District of Columbia also have registries for same sex couples.
   At this time there are 11 states that do not have laws against same sex marriage including Oregon, Wyoming, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Ohio, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland.
   The other 35 states, including Texas, have laws against same sex marriage. These states also do not recognize out-of-state civil unions.
   The bottom line is that the United States, the great nation of freedom and tolerance, does not tolerate homosexual relationships.
   How can we, the citizens of this great nation, allow this?
   We are discriminating and oppressing these people just like African Americans were discriminated against during and after slavery.
   Do we really want to have a repeat of that?
   Being a homosexual does not make you a bad person or any less of a U.S. citizen, so homosexuals should have the same rights as other American citizens.
   The constitution says all men are created equal. So all men and women, regardless of sexual preference, should have the freedom to choose life partners.