Blame Ryan

Yesterday's post on the silliness in Galveston brought an exhortation from Ryan over at Ryan's Take. He noted that there were reeking treasures in the letters to the editor.

What we covered was the original post on the local paper's article on two men having a marriage ceremony is a state that does not recognize their union in any way. Then the publisher got scores of hate mails and phone calls.

If you want to check out a week of the former, try the Galveston County Daily News letters link. Note that after a few days, the archives require a free registration replete with email confirmation. The article ran on November 19th and the letters start on November 22nd.

To whet your hunger for the Gulf Coast political style, some low-lights follow. Remember that these are the ones clean enough to run in the paper:

• I do not approve of your article on the "gay wedding"...It’s not something I want to read from my newspaper. Nor do I want the children I teach to read this example of rebelliousness. First, it is not legitimate or legal. Second, if we choose to be complacent, depravity and wickedness will run amok. We persevere to teach “truth.” Truth is, this is a sin issue. My children’s lesson will be that a person’s sin still separates them from God.
• ... it is gross to even think about two men getting married (or pretending to get married...The story should have been titled "Gay couple pretends to get married, thumbing their noses at the laws of Texas."
• Publishing an article advocating such activities within our community is not excusable, regardless of your political views. Shame on all of you. You owe the community you "serve" a front-page apology. I will never subscribe to your paper.
• Homosexuals will recognize that they have been used to entice readers to scan the article for juicy tidbits to satiate their curiosity. Heterosexuals should be upset, because they have not had equal coverage for their heterosexual weddings. I guess that "news" would not sell as many papers. Catholics should also be appalled that an edifice that was once a working church is being used for all types of ceremony and the coverage put in our county newspaper. What is next, a Satanic Mass in the old St. Joseph’s Church? Would that receive coverage in the Lifestyle section, as well?
• We do not know the individuals portrayed in the story, and our displeasure is not directed toward them. But we do believe the majority of Texas citizens spoke clearly when they voted to ban same-sex marriage. We also believe that that same majority are not interested in viewing photos of two gay men kissing in their community newspaper.
• I am sure these two young men deserve our love and concern. However, their behavior is likely to be hurtful to them. Statistics are not in their favor. Homosexual behavior as a lifestyle is destructive to public welfare also. I think an article like this one should be over in your political section or editorial column, because it seems to me that is what this is about.
• It almost seems like some people like the ones in this article like to flaunt their sexual orientation. Where does someone draw the line on what is acceptable in today’s society? The Daily News seems to condone this type of behavior by printing this story.
• First Corinthians 6:9-10 (New International Version) says: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." In the Bible, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wicked ways. He can do the same thing again to individuals, cities or, yes, even newspapers. How about devoting three-color pages to anybody’s Christian wedding? Do I dislike gays? No — God tells us to love the person … not the sin.
• I was disgusted with the gay marriage...What is this doing to all the children who read your paper? You seem to think this is perfectly acceptable. I will never ever buy your paper again. You should be ashamed.
• What a way to start a beautiful Sunday morning: Open the paper and see this kind of wedding between two men. It made me sick. Evidently, The Daily News is promoting the gay lifestyle in hopes that Galveston can become another San Francisco. As parents try to teach their children moral values, your paper condones immorality — in fact, glorifies it...I do not hate these men, but I hate the sinful lifestyle they have chosen.
• I have questions about this church being used for all weddings, too, that I will be asking the Archdiocese of Galveston and Houston.
• The obviously gay propaganda has only one purpose: to brainwash your readers into believing that certain sexual practices are an acceptable, alternative lifestyle. The Daily News has leapt feet first into a moral vacuum. Greene failed in his attempt to deny the reality of, and glorify, the homosexual lifestyle. Since The Daily News has expressed its support for the idea of homosexuality, it should no longer be on a Christian reader’s list of acceptable publications. I view the article as a slap in the face of Christianity and an attempt to legitimize a kind of moral degeneracy.
• I am disgusted and appalled at the coverage of a homosexual wedding...Homosexuality is not — I repeat, is not — an alternate lifestyle but is a sin. Let’s call it what it is. Nowhere in the Bible does God call homosexuality an alternative lifestyle, and I do not believe that it should be seen as such. To what depths of carnage will your newspaper go in order to sell newspapers?...Truly, God has wept over this latest flagrant violation of all that He stands for. I know Christians of all denominations have.

We can set aside the lack of understanding of Biblical concepts, but not the inability to recognize the world and its positive changes. Sociologists, psychologists, political scientists and theologians alike will find great material here.

In many ways, these letters represent self-selecting wheat from chaff. Sadly, of course, they also represent the strong emotion behind the anti-gay/anti-SSM voters. Reality and creeping equality are not likely to sway them soon.

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Tags: massmarrier, Texas, Galveston, same sex marriage