Adam Galetti: No right to marry

Regarding the June 21 letter “Limiting civil rights”: The writer stated that “this is a law that clearly was passed to try to limit the civil rights of a segment of the people of this state.” One must be careful how the term “civil rights” is used.

As Americans, we enjoy many civil rights, including the right to free speech and the right to practice our faith in both the private and public spheres of society. However, the right to marry is not one of them.

Neither the U.S. Constitution nor the Bill of Rights mentions marriage. Therefore, it is not a civil right but a sacred union between one man and one woman. This means marriage cannot be redefined by the state.

We must also remember the fruit of such unions. Children tend to be forgotten in the discussion of gay marriage. While the right to have both a mother and a father is not a civil right, it is important that children have both in their lives. Men and women are different and complement each other. This is why we have both a Father’s Day and a Mother’s Day.

Let us never forget the rights of America’s children.

This story was originally published July 4, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Adam Galetti: No right to marry."