Jul 25, 2008   | COMMENTS     

Don’t blame Ron Paul for staffer’s lack of insurance                                              

Re: “Ron Paul supporters mourn death of gay campaign chair” (news,  July 18)

This article has quite an ax to grind while straddling a corpse — clearly, under a constitutional government of strict limits, it is the individual that has the most power and freedom, not the state. Kent Snyder obviously was a patriot and his personal decision to do without health insurance was just that, personal. Don’t blame Ron Paul because you want a big nanny state to wipe your butt (and discriminate against you if the self-appointed elite running it so choose).

“According to HRC, Paul received a score of 25 for the 108th Congress (2003-2004) and a zero in the 107th Congress (2000-2002).” Not every gay person bases their entire political philosophy on the opinions and positions of HRC. “What a testament to the libertarian creed, which abhors the idea of universal health care,” Kall wrote. “This loyal, passionate man who died too young left his family a debt of $400,000 in medical bills,” he said. “Sadly, the libertarian heart apparently does not include health care.” The libertarian heart certainly includes health care, but why should I pay for the health care of a family of seven created by parents who don’t believe in using some kind of birth control? I’d rather use my money to pay for my health care and the health care of my loved ones. If everybody did that then there wouldn’t be any health care issues in this country.

McCain’s gay rights stances are a tiresome cop out                                               

Re: “McCain assailed for opposing gay adoption” (washingtonblade.com, July 15)

That is John McCain’s solution whenever he thinks he is getting a tough question. “Oh, it’s the state’s responsibility.” He said the same thing about gay marriage. What he didn’t mention is that he appeared in ads in Arizona supporting a ban on gay marriage.
 
Helms was embarrassment to all of North Carolina                                               

Re: “Farewell to an icon of hate” (editorial by Kevin Naff, July 18)

I’m from North Carolina and Jesse Helms was a horrible embarrassment to our state. He was a bigot and a major homophobe of the worst kind. I’m only sorry he couldn’t have died before being elected to the Senate.

Thank you for addressing anti-gay bias among blacks                                           

Re: “Religion, politics shape black views on gay issues” (news, July 18)

I have read polls asking if gay marriage has a negative effect on marriage in the black community. I would not want to marry a man who wanted to be with another man. If two people of the same sex choose to be together and get married, so be it. We all have the right to decide who we wish to spend the rest of our lives with so I would not prevent gay marriage. Marriage is work but it also has benefits and if gay people are putting in the work, then why not allow them to share in the benefits? Remember there was a time when marrying outside of one’s race was against the law.

Thanks to the Blade for airing some of the dirty laundry in the black community. It needs to be outed. It needs to be discussed in a forum where everyone can see just how ignorant and nasty things can be. It needs to be seen just how easy it is to cry discrimination, then turn right around and discriminate, and base it as being ordained by God. Black people should realize being gay and black is no more a choice than being born black and straight.

To people who quote the Bible while opposing same-sex marriage: Are you willing to follow what the Bible says about slavery? Do you even know what it says? Look it up. Also, if God’s plan is one man and one woman, He forgot to tell the authors of the Old Testament, since marriage in the Old Testament was one man and up to 700 wives and 300 concubines. In short, read your Bible before telling the rest of us what it says.