Gay People Believe In Family Values, Too

http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2006/04/21/editorials/letters/let01.txt

Posted: Friday, Apr 21, 2006 - 11:57:33 am CDT

Gay people believe in family values, too

I'm inviting Wisconsin's state legislators who oppose gay marriage or civil unions for gays to meet with me and my paralyzed life partner in our home. I want to hear from you in an up close and personal manner why you see couples like us as a threat to the sanctity of marriage. What I don't want from you is a form letter or a simplistic response.

Phil Anderson, my partner, and I have been together since we first met in Wausau more than 17 years ago when I was city editor of the Daily Herald. After Phil was paralyzed from the waist down in a February 2001 auto accident, he has since endured a major stroke, multiple seizures, numerous infections, femur reconstruction, lung surgery and gallbladder surgery.

As we try to cope with life's challenges, Phil and I are demoralized when we read news accounts of legislators - clergy, too, for that matter - who demonize gays. It especially sickens us when some of you say you oppose gay marriage or civil unions because you believe in family. Good heavens, we believe in family, too. After all, members of our families have rallied to provide support in so many ways, including building a wheelchair ramp so Phil can get in and out of our home.

Phil is a Marine veteran and I'm an Army vet. Both of us have served our country admirably and both of us are grateful for the care Phil has received from the staff of the spinal cord injury unit at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. We appreciate everyone there for treating us with dignity and respect. They certainly don't fear us and our “lifestyle.”

Meanwhile, Phil and I continue to hope - and pray - that light awaits us at the end of what has been a long dark tunnel. If you are among those legislators who are against gay marriage or civil unions, I'm hoping that you have the decency to meet with us before you cause any additional harm to gays in loving and committed relationships.

Bill Hetland
Kenosha

(The writer is a native of the Rock River Valley, growing up in nearby Belvidere, Ill. He is a former managing editor of the Belvidere Daily Republican. - Editor)