Knowing well the horrors of discrimination, Nelson Mandela made discrimination against homosexuals illegal in the constitution of South Africa. Amnesty International also regards it a human rights issue.

In the November elections, voters decide if they should repeal the Maine law that protects the basic human rights of homosexuals. Presently, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Canada, Britain, Argentina, France, Japan, Russia, Italy and countless other progressive world communities. If we repeal the law, we join Botswana, Burma, Kenya, Afghanistan, Namibia and numerous Third World countries with rather poor track records in human rights.

In many of these countries, women are not included in these laws because they are considered nonentities without legal rights. In some countries, one can be imprisoned or put into asylums because of gender orientation. In other countries, the death penalty can be invoked. These are the countries that allow you to kill your wife or daughter if they dishonor the family by being found in the company of a man who is not a family member.

There is definitely a pattern in the way countries deal with human rights. The movie, “March of the Penguins,” had viewers teary-eyed over the monogamous, family relationships found among the penguins, but actually the “monogamy” is only for one breeding season, and there is definitely homosexuality and bisexuality among the penguins. Homosexuality is found in nature and human nature. If you have a problem with that, take it up with God.

Helen Mekis, Lewiston.