Disappointed by Mayor Bellamy’s domestic-partnership vote

I was disappointed to see Mayor Bellamy oppose City Council's decision to move forward with providing same-sex domestic-partners benefits. One hundred fifty years ago, her ancestors were held in slavery. Seventy years ago, members of my family were sent to concentration camps because they were Jewish. Was it wrong that our relatives were discriminated against simply because they were born "different?" If so, how is it not wrong to discriminate against gays and lesbians because they are born "different?"

Extending benefits is, of course, only dealing with a symptom of the problem. This wouldn't be necessary if we joined all of the other industrialized nations and recognized health care as a basic human right. I hope one day we evolve from a culture that celebrates greed to one that practices the Golden Rule toward all — regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, class, disability, species or ethnicity. Don't we have a moral obligation to treat all beings with dignity and respect?

Same-sex couples are being marginalized by archaic tradition. We discriminate not because it's right, but because we can. Where's the morality in that, and where do you draw the line with whom you do and do not continue to oppress?
Peter Singer, preeminent philosopher and author of Animal Liberation, said, "It is easy for us to criticize the prejudices of our grandfathers, from which our fathers freed themselves. It is more difficult to distance ourselves from our own views, so that we can dispassionately search for prejudices among the beliefs and values we hold."

— Stewart David
Asheville