A letter to the editor.

I was pretty disgusted with today's Letters to the Editor in the Belleville News-Democrat. People are in an uproar over the photo of two men kissing during their civil union that was on the front page a few days ago. One asshole said, "When the military finally officially repeals the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, maybe at all commander's calls they can hire these same-sex couples whose pictures you showed and they can show everyone the proper way for same-sex couples to kiss." Tom O'Leary of Mascoutah, you're ridiculous. Another person writing in claimed to be "one Christian who is taking a stand for God and the Bible."

So I wrote my own letter this morning.

I applaud the state of Illinois for allowing civil unions for homosexual couples. I see nothing immoral about two consenting adults with mutual love and respect for each other pledging to honor and love each other for the rest of their days.

Everyone who has written decrying these unions, using the Bible to back up their poisonous words, makes me sick. This is America, land of the free, where anyone is free to throw off the shackles of religious intolerance so that they may live their lives as they see fit. A homosexual union affects me in no way whatsoever, and as a member of the armed forces, I am proud to serve side by side with any man or woman, regardless of sexual orientation, who is willing to stand up and bear arms with me.

Hooray for the pursuit of happiness!

Of course, that won't cause a miracle and change the minds of every bigoted person who reads the paper, but of the seven letters printed today, only one from Michael Ray Dillier of Collinsville was positive about the photo. So I felt the need to throw in my positive words as well. Hooray for equality!