Three letters on Lawrence v. Texas
Philadelphia
Inquirer, July 6, 2003
PO Box 8263, Philadelphia, PA 19101
Fax: 215-854-4483
Email: Inquirer.opinion@phillynews.com
Letter: Laws and religious beliefs
Although the June 27 editorial “Privacy preserved”
hinted at the topic of legislating morality, all the commentary and news about
the Supreme Court’s decision on sodomy laws overlooked a reason for more
people to celebrate than just gays and lesbians.
This decision takes a solid step toward freeing people
from burdens of laws that are based on certain religious beliefs. This move
may somewhat lessen criticism of the United States for its hypocrisy in
condemning other countries for their religious-based laws while this nation
keeps so many of the same kind of laws on the books, and while prominent
officials propose even more.
—John Jonik, Philadelphia
Letter: Sodomy is not victimless
In the 1980s and 1990s, scores of thousands of American
homosexuals died from engaging in the same sexual acts that were recently
legalized by the Supreme Court. So maybe there is a public health basis for
anti-sodomy laws. And perhaps these acts are not victimless or intrinsically
virtuous.
Further, if gay sex is a private matter, why have gay
activists so stridently demanded that all taxpayers and health insurance
premium payers subsidize billions of dollars of treatments for diseases caused
by these private activities?
—Mark Oshinskie, Highland Park
Letter: Liberty for all
I applaud and celebrate the decision of the Supreme Court
striking down the Texas sodomy laws (“Sodomy laws felled by court,” June
27). This is a great victory for the gay community.
Obviously the dissenters, Chief Justice William Rehnquist
and Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, as well as the social
conservatives and religious groups blinded by homophobia, misinterpret the
homosexuals’ agenda, which is nothing more than demanding equality, justice
and liberty for all.
—Monique Frugier, Ardmore, pichounete@juno.com
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