Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Letters to the Editor, 6/24/05

Gays can marry

We, a group of Unitarian Universalists from Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, marched in the Gay PrideFest parade on June 18. Gays and straights together, we participated in this parade for several reasons.

First, as Unitarian Universalists we affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person -- without regard to sexual orientation.

Second, we celebrate the morality of love. We believe that an expression of love, whether between a man and a woman or between two people of the same gender, is a force for good that is much needed in our world today.

The Christian radical right focuses on banning gay marriages because they maintain that it undermines the family. How could supporting the creation of legal, stable, loving families possibly undermine them?

We Unitarian Universalists choose to focus our efforts on combating the real threats to families -- such as violence, poverty and other forms of oppression.

Perhaps if we all spent as much energy supporting families of all types, rather than attacking families that do not fit the conventional mold, we would come closer to heeding Jesus's message of love.

JEANNE ZANG
Edgeworth

TIM NUTTLE
North Side
Editor's note: This letter was signed by 26 other members of the Unitarian Universalists United for Faith in Action.