I’m confused why some folks shout about keeping government out of their lives while they foist their particular viewpoint, exclusion or loophole on others. Now it’s the exclusion of gay folks from equal marriage rights that the rest of us enjoy without thinking.

In the past, it was equal rights for black people; or Japanese people (remember the internment camps?); or Jewish people (remember the Nazis?).

It is the government’s job to intervene on behalf of a minority that is being treated unfairly, and to ensure equal rights for everybody. It’s too bad that respect and freedom in the USA have to be legislated. If people had behaved well and included everyone with love in their hearts, such extra legislation would not be needed.

But people didn’t behave well. Some fired employees for being gay. Some wrote horrible things on their houses. Some bullied gay kids in school. Some beat up and killed others, just for being gay. Lots of people were mean to their neighbors, just for being gay. And some people just didn’t pay enough attention.

Such behavior is not acceptable and we must stop it before we poison another generation with hate.

Everyone deserves equal treatment. Gay folks work, pay taxes, raise children, own homes, volunteer, go to school, go to church, go to war. The state Legislature is standing up for them and for all of us.

I encourage others to join me in voting “no” on Question 1, in support of liberty and justice for all.

Dorothy Raymond, Norway