Someone has made the move from that other blog site to here and brought his hatred and intolerance with him. ("Edjamacator"? Who knows, it's certainly one of those from the extra chromosome crowd.)

He started out by writing, "Always, without fail, homosexuals claim they just want equal rights."

What's wrong with that?

Gays want the same opportunities and protections anyone else in society is entitled to: the same protections against discrimination in housing and employment, the same protections in rights afforded to partners in straight relationships, and the same civil rights afforded every other group in this country.

Let's take these things one at a time.

DISCRIMINATION
Gays are not afforded protections against discrimination in housing or employment. They can be terminated or evicted or denied housing simply for their orientation. This is no different than for discriminating against blacks by denying them housing and accommodation or lack of opportunity in the work place.

MARRIAGE
In order to get the same protections within their relationships as straights, they have to jump through myriad legal hurdles. Those legal hurdles aren't inviolable like they are in marriage. Their assets are subject to probate without regard for survivorship; wills and powers of attorney can be overruled because courts often find for blood relatives even when they've disowned gay relatives. Gays don't get benefits afforded straight couples when it comes to insurance, taxes, or pensions.

It's inadequate to say that they're able to get legal documents to cover all these details. Straight couples -- the laws of many states give common law straight couples the same rights as legally-married couples -- get them by default. There is no parity under the law for gays. None.

Nobody's rights will be violated by gay marriage. Straights will still be allowed to fall in love and marry (and divorce) each other. It won't do anything to diminish the sanctity of any relationship. It extends that sanctity and those rights to more people.

Our new "friend" (I'm very cautious around those I perceive to be bigots so forgive me for offering the benefit of the doubt) has a problem with schools teaching tolerance. He thinks it violates his rights. I disagree very strongly. As I wrote to him, nobody has a right to use beliefs to hurt others or infringe on their civil rights, to take their lives or their property. We don't allow people to kill apostates, we don't let parents stone their disobedient children as commanded in the Bible, and we don't allow parents to choose superstition over necessary medical care no matter how sincere the parents are that prayer will cure something that requires drugs.

You have religious rights and the freedom to believe what you want, but you don't have a right to violate anyone else's rights -- not to deny others housing or employment, not to forbid consenting adults the right to enter into legally binding contracts to protect their own interests and relationships, and sure as hell not to allow an environment in which others can be demonized or harassed or physically harmed because your views are uncivil and hostile to the civil rights of others.

Our laws don't afford you that much "freedom" wherein you get to infringe on the freedoms of others. Neither do your own religious laws. You might want to read them a little closer some time.