Now ban divorce

Wow, we're banning same-sex marriage to keep our families intact (and also our morals?) ("Pa. House Passes Gay Marriage Ban," June 7). Now the fools need to pass a no-divorce law.

Divorce is much more devastating to the family than gays getting married.

I wonder how many of these legislators are divorced or cheating on their spouses. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

WILMA D. HUTCHINGS
Aspinwall

Diversionary tactic

Oh, thank goodness ... the Pennsylvania House by a vote of 136-61 gave its approval for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage (HB 2381). Now, if the state Senate does the same, heterosexual marriage will be saved for all.

Does anyone actually believe this?

If these politicians really wanted to save heterosexual marriage, they would be challenging the divorce laws in Pennsylvania. But of course, they won't because challenging the divorce laws wouldn't be popular with voters.

Constitutions, state and federal, should be used to expand on human rights, not to limit the rights of an entire segment of the population.

Constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage are nothing more than a political diversionary tactic to keep voters from focusing on the very real problems facing Pennsylvania and this nation.

JOSEPH KOWALSKI
North Huntingdon

Freedom's rewards

As a registered Republican I want to congratulate Sen. Arlen Specter for voting against the federal amendment intended to ban gay marriage ("Conservatives' Measure Falls Short Again in Senate," June 8).

This measure would have only fomented division and resentment between fellow American citizens. Since this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, we should be brave enough to allow our fellow citizens who are a little bit different from us to be free in their personal pursuit of happiness.

If two people love each other enough that they want to formalize their relationship by getting married, government should get out of their way and let them pursue their happiness. Our great Founding Fathers such as Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson would never have wished to curb the freedom of American citizens by creating such a restrictive amendment to our U.S. Constitution.

Fellow Republicans, think how the economy will benefit if we deregulate the marriage business and open it up to the full American market. More weddings will be a boon to restaurant and liquor businesses, churches and clergy will collect more funds, more wedding gigs mean fewer unemployed musicians, the travel industry will surge from more honeymoons, marriage counselors will have more business and lawyers will see a new lucrative market: gay divorce cases.

Forget about gambling casinos. If we really want to stimulate our economy, all we have to do is just get rid of our excessive government restrictions and let gay and lesbian citizens have the same freedoms that we straight Americans enjoy.

ROY FRYE
Squirrel Hill