Denying rights is not the way to protect families

The juxtaposition of stories on the May 27 Post-Gazette's front page shows that conservative marriage activists are missing the mark.

In one story, "California Court Upholds Ban on Same-Sex Marriage," conservative activists rejoiced in the California Supreme Court's decision to eliminate gay marriage in the Golden State. According to these activists, allowing gay people to affirm their long-term commitment to each other somehow threatens straight marriage and harms family values.

Another front-page story, explains how the train-wreck docudrama episode featuring pseudo-reality stars' failing marriage gained the TLC show its highest ratings to date. Marital infidelity problems, like those alleged to have plagued the pseudo stars' marriage, are a bigger threat to traditional family values than allowing gay people to marry.

Now conservative activists, led by state Sen. John Eichelberger, are attempting to write discrimination into our commonwealth's constitution. Enshrining discrimination in the constitution is unfair and wrong. What's more, it will not help protect family values. If Mr. Eichelberger is really worried about protecting marriage, he ought to direct his attention to helping couples like Jon and Kate, rather than denying fundamental rights to gay Pennsylvanians.

JUSTIN KIDD
Squirrel Hill