New Times / Letter To The Editor

Simone is not alone

J.M. Pierce

A few nights ago I received what I consider a strange phone call. A woman, who identified herself as Gladys, said she was representing the “California Coalition of Churches,” and that she was taking a survey regarding California’s Proposition 8. She went on to state that “they” believed that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. At that point, I interrupted her and said, “Why should you care if two people of the same sex are in love and want to get married?” She replied, “Because of our grandchildren and the future of the church.”

Then she said, “A yes vote would preserve the sanctity of marriage,” followed by, with a bit of a question in her voice, “So, I guess I should mark you down as a no?” I asked why the church would want to stand in the way of people’s happiness, to which she responded, “Sir, I’m just taking a survey.” I told her it couldn’t be much of a survey, since she voiced her personal feelings and I again asked her why she would want to stand in the way of the happiness of others. “Sir, I’m just doing what someone asked me to do,” she answered. ÜI decided it was best to hang up and said, “Yeah, mark me down as a no.”

I’m really tired of the religious right trying to inflict their views on others under the guise of surveys, and such. This is the first time I’ve ever sent a letter to the editor, to a publication of any kind, but I’m so fed up with them preaching love, understanding, and acceptance, while it seems to me that they are all about putting up barriers and being divisive.