This is in response to "Another perspective on gays" (letter, Feb. 18).
I found several points the commander made to be disturbing. He quotes various Bible passages and references to imply that homosexual behavior is immoral and should thus be removed from military service.
While I certainly agree that the writer has a right to state his opinion on morality and ethical behavior, I have a problem with the point of view. Our nation exists on the basis of the U.S. Constitution, which is written in such a manner as to be entirely secular. Our country was founded on, and functions quite well on, the ideal that every man and woman is equal, deserves the same rights as everyone else, and is free to practice whatever legal acts they wish, be they religious or sexual.
Be that as it may, I have a problem when people try to impress upon others what they feel to be a proper morality. Just because a person finds an act to be immoral in nature (homosexuality), it doesn’t allow him to disallow or regulate other people from practicing those acts.
The writer suggests a homosexual man or woman can marry whomever is appropriate as far as he is concerned, not whomever the homosexual desires to marry.
Fifty years ago, people were saying the same thing in America concerning inter-race marriages. It wasn’t right then, and it isn’t right now.
Gays aren’t asking for additional rights, as the commander implies. They just want to serve their country without having to hide whom they are. They want to marry the people with whom they have fallen in love, not whomever makes other people happy.
Warrant Officer 1 Jonathan H. KantorCamp Basra, Iraq