I watched Dr. Phil the day he had people in his studio fronted by the con side of Prop. 8, including Maggie Gallagher of NOM and Pastor Jim Garlow.
I read the article at your site regarding Maggie Gallagher ("Creep of the Week: Maggie Gallagher," BTL Nov. 12) and proceeded to e-mail her a letter, respectfully, letting her know how absurd her thinking is. 'Democratic' means social equality while 'democracy' means by the people for the people, as in the people of California who chose to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling against the ban. I hope the Supreme Court will re-think this bias, this bigotry, despite Maggie's assertion that it's biology, not bigotry which is the reason behind denying gays and lesbians the right to marry.
I don't believe the government, either federal or local or state, belongs in the bedrooms of the people, a quote I paraphrased from a former Canadian Prime Minister now deceased.
Canada, generally, is far more open-minded and liberal toward homosexuality than the United States is, although our current Prime Minister is a card-carrying conservative as well as anti-woman (he's married).
James Dobson of Focus on the Family has tried to shove his values down Canadian throats, but I don't believe he got much of a reception along with another person – a minister, reverend, whoever the man was – Phelps I believe, he tried coming north and spewing his hatred. Again, he didn't get he expected or wanted. I get so weary of conservatism getting radical to the point of trying, through legislation, to dictate North America's morals, personally or socially. That's why there will always be this civil war, so to speak, between the liberals and the conservatives. The latter are threatened by change as if each and every person and family who's conservative is going to be forever affected, even traumatized, by seeing two people, women or men, holding hands.
These people, I believe, use the Bible as an excuse to condemn and persecute difference and use their churches' teachings to direct their thinking. They can't think for themselves.
I wrote to tell you how I feel because this nonsense just goes on and on, ad nauseum. It's getting tired. While people have a right to what they personally believe, they don't have the right to preach hatred even though they have the right (democracy, not democratic) to publicly protest using slurs printed on placards.
{ITAL Carol Harrison
Ontario, Canada}
