This Marine is OK serving with all Americans. The authors of “Marines’ resolve a good thing” (letter, Dec. 1) and “Repeal not OK with Marine” (letter, Nov. 23) don’t speak for this fellow Marine. Calling homosexuality a violation of God’s principles or evoking the Bible to validate their old-fashioned beliefs is ridiculous.

I have yet to recall Jesus preaching or advocating the discrimination or segregation of gays. The only place I find the mention of such a belief is in Leviticus, which also lists the consumption of shellfish as an abomination. I have yet to see any Marine loudly proclaim their “moral” objection to shrimp and crab legs being served at our chow halls on Sundays. When the caskets arrive at Dover you can’t tell whether it contains male, female, black, white, gay or straight. All you know is that a brave American decided to put their life on the line and they paid the ultimate price. I suggest the letter writers leave their old-fashioned beliefs in the last century with apartheid and Jim Crow laws and render a salute to those who voluntarily sacrifice their lives, regardless of their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

It’s a shame that ancient opinions still resonate in the 21st century. Hopefully very soon, those honorable combat veterans like Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach and Lt. Dan Choi can be allowed to serve their country without fear of being stopped by those who decide to pick and choose their “moral” objections.

Capt. Bill DaMetz

Camp Bastion, Afghanistan

Migrated