This is in response to the Sun Journal article, “Sisters plan to vote no on same-sex marriage” (Oct. 21). I am a student at Lewiston High School and a strong supporter of marriage for same-sex couples.

Claims by the three sisters seemed to be very untrue to me. As someone who has met many people, both opposing and supporting same-sex marriage, I have found the claims of death threats and violence to be untrue. My friends and I talk to people about the issue calmly and peacefully. We focus on love and tolerance, not on violence or hate.

Once in a while, supporters of same-sex marriage receive threats. And gays and lesbians are often subjected to verbal violence and intolerance, based on who they love and who they are.

Threats from either side are intolerable. Based on my extensive experience and conversations about this issue, I believe that no one opposing marriage for same-sex couples should have any reason to fear for their lives or safety.

I also found the accusations about how being gay promotes disease to be neither factual or relevant to the real issue at hand — which is that everyone deserves to have equal opportunities in our society, including the right to marry whom they choose.

Reagan Simmons, Lewiston