Marriage undercut by its 'friends'

American democracy has always moved toward the expansion of rights and privileges, and the right to marriage will someday be extended to all. Research and polling show that it's only a matter of time before gay and lesbian Americans can choose their own partners in some form of marriage. Ironically, in their efforts to keep gays and lesbians from marrying, so-called social conservatives may in fact destroy marriage as a socially conservative institution.

Divorce notwithstanding, marriage stands for a lifelong commitment, an unbreakable union of two individuals, recognized and supported by their community. By denying a significant proportion of Americans the right to marriage, we have set in motion a process that is now redefining marriage into various forms of "civil unions." Civil unions, which cannot be restricted to homosexual couples, will themselves become an alternative to traditional marriage, a "marriage lite." Once our society accepts two levels of marriage, the real breakdown of marriage as a founding bedrock institution of society will have begun.

By denying rights to those they deem unworthy of the honors and responsibilities associated with marriage, so-called social conservatives have begun the actual downfall of marriage.

– Tom Funk, Elk Grove

Majority has spoken – twice

Let the will of the majority twice tested stay the course. The minority of those supporting gay marriage should not rule those who have history and their votes behind them. Proposition 8 supporters did not abandon moral obligations as one San Francisco leader has stated, they have upheld them in every sense of the word. I wish the minority of gay marriage supporters would quit trying to change the majority position. Quit trying to shove this position down our throats. We will keep defeating it or die trying. See you at the polls again, I am sure, unless you try to sneak it into some hidden legislation.

– Bruce Kinabrew, Madera

Discrimination persists

I simply can't believe that in 2009 there is still a group that is allowed to be discriminated against in "progressive" California. I am ashamed of this state today. How frustrating. How disturbing. I have seen how much easier it is to accept than to divide for 30 years, and I thought that we were supposed to all love one another. This unjust decision flies in the face of our Constitution's promise of equal protection. The decision is pretty hateful in reality. None of this makes sense to me.

– Todd Gearou, Carmichael

Some rights, for some couples

Food for thought: I am a 44-year-old female. I live with my 43-year-old boyfriend. We do not want to get married for reasons of child support (his would go up, mine would go down), and I do not want to ruin his credit. I work for the UC regents and have great insurance. He does not have insurance, as he was laid off a year ago, due to the economy.

This is the issue: The state of California does not allow opposite-sex partners to register as domestic partners unless one partner is over the age of 65 (for Social Security reasons). Only same-sex partners can be domestic partners with no limitations and therefore be allowed on each other's insurance. So we are being discriminated against for being an opposite-sex couple that is choosing not to get married at present.

Some companies do allow this already, but the state of California does not and therefore the UC regents follow that ruling.

So many people are pushing the man-woman relationship, which is fine, but we are being discriminated against for being in a man-woman relationship and not being married.

– Michelle Brackett, Davis

Ready for honest budget

Re "Voters don't want dire cuts; they want leaders to get it right" (Viewpoints, May 20): Thank you, Phil Angelides, for your spot-on letter regarding the gimmicks of the special-proposition election.

It has been said by many that Angelides is the smartest guy in the room, and I completely agree. Angelides is intelligent and forthcoming with his vision and solutions. Let's listen to Angelides, and others with credibility, to help solve our dire fiscal situation.