Fighting Homo-Hatred

With the economy the way it is, the worst of the bigoted pastors will use same-sex marriage to stir up homophobia in an effort to increase tithing. It’s already starting here in Roseburg, Oregon. In a youth column run weekly in our daily paper, the News-Review, youth were asked to comment on same sex marriage. The high school age children more or less agreed that it’s inevitable. It’s no big deal.

Recent letters to the editor by people threatened by the prudent words of these youth only serve to stir up homo-hatred. Bigoted church leaders in our community are exploiting the situation by trying to recreate the atmosphere of hate that existed here during the early 1990s when the defunct Oregon Citizens Alliance raised millions by attacking their gay neighbors. These unscrupulous pastors know they can’t stem the tide of social change. Their intention is to exploit fear and reap the profits that hate ministry brought in the past.

The editors of the News-Review are implicated. The sloppy title to a recent letter decrying same-sex marriage, “Homosexuality is not natural” promotes the common myth. Same sex relations have been observed in every species from the bedbug to the blue whale. What is unnatural is the obsession some people have with homosexuality. At least the title was consistent with the many inaccuracies of the letter itself.

Please contact the editor listed below and ask her to stop printing letters that stoop to these hate tactics. The paper’s policy clearly states that they will not print letters that are in poor taste. Dishonesty is in poor taste. Help make this a more responsible publication.

Vicki Menard, Editor

Phone Number: 541-957-4203

E-Mail: vmenard@nrtoday.com