Michael A. Ventrella

Recently, right wing nutjob William Murchison had a column in which he argued that gays should not be allowed to get married because they cannot have children, and children is what marriage is all about.

I was so angry at this outright stupidity that I wrote a Letter to the Editor about it, which was printed today in my local paper.   Here it is:

Columnist has a sadly limited view of marriage

Editor, the Record:

My wife and I have been happily married for more than 26 years now. We’ve helped each other out through thick and thin, including years of cancer treatments and a current handicap because of it. We’ve never needed counseling, never cheated, and never separated. I’d like to think we are an example of what all good, loving marriages should be.

So imagine my surprise when I discover that, according to your columnist William Murchison, our marriage is a sham because we have no children. Apparently marriage “is all about children” — or at least that’s what he claims in order for him to deny marriage to people in love. This would apparently include those who get married later in life, past child-bearing age — so for all of you seniors who are reading this: Forget about marriage. Love, according to Murchison, has nothing to do with it.

I do admit that I am confused by those, like Murchison, who stand Grinch-like above it all, sneering down haughtily while trying to prevent others from having joy. Shouldn’t we be encouraging happy couples in stable relationships? Isn’t that really the goal of marriage — not producing offspring (which unfortunately seems to happen a lot without marriage)?

In the meantime, I guess my wife and I will continue in our strange belief system that marriage is, despite Murchison’s view, all about love.

MICHAEL A. VENTRELLA

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090416/NEWS04/904160313/-1/NEWS0401

The responses so far have been wonderful.  When I walked into court this morning, the security guards there clapped their approval.  I received good emails from friends and a call from a judge thanking me as well.  

My only worry afterwards was that I didn’t make it clear enough that this was about denying gays the right to marry.  That’s the mentality I really can’t understand:  How does it hurt you in the slightest to allow others to be joyous and happy?  This puritan “I don’t like this so therefore no one can do it” attitude is just completely foreign to me.

Fortunately, the US is changing, and I’m optimistic;  people are beginning to see this as a true civil rights issue.

Disclaimer:  I know this blog is supposed to be about writing, but hey, I did write something and it was published.  Doesn’t that count?  (Insert cliche smiley face here)

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