Date: Thu, 11 Jan 96 22:22:08 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII, JAN. 11

			DUELLING EDITORIALS

	The Wednesday Advertiser, Jan. 10, has two editorials on page A12
on same-gender marriage.  The staff editorial is titled "SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
No easy way around this".  The editorial quickly recapitulates the same-gender
marriage case, leading up to Gov. Cayetano's "intriguing idea" that the "state
should get out of the business of marriage altogether and confine itself to
legalizing gender-blind domestic partnerships".  The editorial describes
Cayetano's remarks in fuller detail, and notes that key legislators are not
enthusiastic.  Here's the conclusion of the editorial:
        "So be it [the legislators not acting on Cayetano's suggestion].
In that case, it should go ahead and recognize same-sex marriage/domestic
partnership as a civil rights issue and cease the denial of the legal and
social benefits of this relation strictly on the basis of gender."

	On the same page, the Most Rev. Francis X. DiLorenzo, Catholic
bishop of Honolulu, held forth under the banner "CAN'T `REDEFINE' MARRIAGE".
The editorial begins  "On Pearl Harbor Day 1995, the state of Hawaii was
again attacked.  Five unelected individuals, sitting on a commission, decided
that the government should forcibly redefine the institution of marriage."
[DiLorenzo is off by one day; the final vote of the commission was Dec. 8,
not Dec. 7---TR]  

	"Marriage between a man and a woman is the fundamental institution
of civil society [Is anyone taking it away?] ....The commission is
directly attacking our most crucial institution"  [Huh?  By EXTENDING an
institution you attack it????]

	"We are not fooled by the rhetoric of "civil rights" and "equality"
....."  [WE????]

	"This commission, however, is up to something very different.....it
seeks to redefine marriage as an institution.  This mixes apples and oranges
....."  [Dear Lord, forgive me, but if I hear about apples and oranges one
more time .....Let me get this straight.  Two guys marrying is mixing apples
and oranges.  No, that can't be it .....]

	"What are the lessons of marriage that have been given us?  [By
Whom, may I ask?  Certainly, not Jesus, whose remarks on marriage are both
clear---no divorce all you het's out there---and troubling---you shall abandon
family to follow the Lord.]  There are at least four.  [Years of careful
theology teach one to be cautious; by all means, "at least"]  First, children
enter society through the union of a man and a woman, not just a sperm and
an egg.  This is obvious!  [Actually, scientifically, right now, one needs
a sperm, an egg, and a womb]  A sperm bank is not equivalent to a real father.
[Hmm, I suppose a real father keeps up his child support payments after
divorce?]  The people of Hawaii know that our children are our future [indeed,
they are, for everyone.]  If children are not a "compelling interest" of the
state, what is?

	"Second, a committed, faithful and lifelong relationship between
a woman and a man is the best environment for children.  Single parents can
raise children well through heroic efforts, yet they know, perhaps better
than anyone, that there is a difference." [Yes, there is; in one family
there are 2 parents and in the other there is 1; since 1 and 2 are different
quantities, there is indeed a difference.  In fact this difference is a
difference of cardinal quantities .....]

	Third, a formal commitment between a man and a woman encourages them
to take joint responsibility for their children and each other.  [Sounds like
a great idea for some same-gender couples, too, don't you think?]

	Fourth, these benefits to society are only made possible and reach
their greatest fruition because of the obvious complementary natures of a
man and a woman.  Man and woman, equal but different, in marital love
humanize and civilize each other and society .  [Have you heard that old
joke that the Bible discusses heterosexual sex about 500 times, and everything
else about 3 times;  it's clear who needs more supervision!]  No same-sex
relationship can mimic the genuine potential of a relationship between a
woman and a man.  Nor should society expect it to do so through government
fiat."  [Huh????  The het's are so different that their unions have cosmic
significance, because they overcome such profound difference with orgasms of
extraordinary intensity .......]

	......[yet another paragraph] .....

	The Church did not define marriage, but it will defend it."

				end-of-editorial


					Most respectfully yours,

					Tom Ramsey
					Co-Coordinator, HERMP

P.S.  FRANCTICALLY URGENT, FOR HAWAII RESIDENTS ONLY---please touch base
with community leaders on actions currently underway.