Resounding no

The Bangor City Council will be voting soon on gay rights. It sounds as if the measure will probably pass, but if I could vote, I would vote a resounding no.

I am not a bigot, as some may think because I write this letter. I have numerous gay friends and acquaintances. I had a gay roommate in law school. I have hired gays and rented to gays.

The problem I have with the gay rights measure is that I have not seen any discrimination against gays. In all the statewide campaigns, there has been little if any evidence that any gay, anywhere in the state, is being discriminated against. Statistics show that gays have higher than average incomes. They work as doctors, lawyers, athletes and mechanics. They live in neighborhoods everywhere. Where is the discrimination?

I would agree with stopping discrimination if I thought it existed. The problem is, once the bill is passed, it can be used a sword as well as a shield. If five people apply for a job and the gay one doesn’t get it, this person may bring an action in court for the perceived discrimination, though the decision had nothing to do with their being gay.

Figures say that about 10 percent of the population is gay. Figures also say that about 10 percent of the population is left-handed. In my opinion, we have as much need of a “left-handed rights” bill as we have for a “gay rights” bill. I would support neither.

Lawrence E. Merrill

Bangor