There have been so many things said here, and lots of people have said things I want to say as well. Probably a lot will have been said by the time this gets posted, as I am off line and writing as I get my thoughts organised.

blt, you have said it so well and so eloquently. And I will id myself. I am a straight woman (Wavestar's mother in fact, so my daughter's best friend is a lesbian), who does not care what other people do in bed. It is none of my business. However, I do think it is my business to do what I can to help ensure that people have the legal right to form a relationship with whomever they want, provided the feeling is mutual, and both parties are competent to decide. I am a Sunday School teacher in a Chrisstian Science church, and have really had to think about this, in terms of how openly I express my opinions. (They got expressed on the front page of the upper valley paper, and I still teach the high school and college class.) I truly believe God is incusive of all the qualities we associate with either gender, and is NOT He or She. (Unfortunately we don't have a word for this inclusiveness.) Thus I look upon people as reflections of God first, and gender identity is just a part of who they are, along with lovingness, honesty, talents, etc. It is certainly not the sum total of that person, nor all I see when I think of that person.

It is astonishing to see what people will do when someone they've known for a long while, comes out. I was gratified to see my father, who was a noisy raging homophobe in my high school years, change his mind when the daughter of a close friend, came out. I could wish that more parents could manage this feat.

Of course it is also astonishing to see some of the ideas some people have... A man in our town, a recognised "expert" (quotation marks are mine)on Russia, is certain that homosexuality is a communist plot! I'm not kidding! He's written in the paper under his own name, PhD!!!

The comments about many of the rules being set up to keep the "alpha males" in power rings very true. Most of the people I heard testify against the Civil Union legislation last winter, were raging about the fact that the Bible says it is abomination. The Bible also says not to eat pork and (sorry John) the FAT of beef or mutton. (One offers the fat and organs to God, and eats the rest, or offers it all--and after God is done with it, it is given to the poor). There are lots of rules that were germaine to the times (pork could kill you) and are no longer. And the last time I looked the commandments did not mention homosexuality. It does mention adultery, but our laws still, except for Vermont, prevent those of us who are not heterosexual from publicly and legally committing to a single partner. Makes it kinda tough. I really like the comment about Church/State separation in this context.

The other people who squawked against the bill were concerned about the sexual acts. I don't want to know what ANYone does in bed! Not my business! But I do want people who love each other to be able to care for each other, speak as next of kin in medical matters, be able to care for each others' children, and so on.

I also want to end the us/them attitude. It's all US. One race (human), one people, one family. (Do I REALLY want to be brother to bigots? Oh dear! But I have to, to be true to myself.) Oh dear, this sounds SO self righteous. I do laugh at myself! HONEST!

Love to all.

CamiSu