Due to their religious beliefs about the "sanctity" of marriage, many feel that same-sex marriage should not be allowed. That view elevates the establishment of marriage to one above the law, above the reach of the average lay person seeking such a union, and above any deviation from the holiness of this union.

By this logic of "sanctity," the rules of marriage must be strictly enforced. Divorce and adultery absolutely offend the sanctity of marriage. The next step for those opposed to same-sex marriage is to propose legislation to abolish divorce and to require hard time for engaging in any extramarital affair. If this course is not pursued, we can deduce that the sanctity of marriage is really not the core issue, and it should not be used to justify denying civil rights to fellow Americans.

The true issue is that the Constitution protects the rights of all the people. Marriage is a legal status free of any religious affiliation. This right cannot be denied to a group based on sexuality. This is akin to denying women the right to vote simply for being women. It is un-American to deny legal rights to anyone.

Heidi Moore

Salt Lake City