Equal legal protection

Todd Benoit’s excellent op-ed column, “Everyone gets caught in the act” (BDN, Sept. 24-25), coupled with Dr. Erik Steele’s equally impressive piece, “Sexuality can’t be changed like a pair of shoes” (Aug. 30), would seem to answer any lingering questions for the minority of Mainers who do not support providing equal protection under the law to all our citizens. They would, except that there is little evidence that what has been at work in the minds of those in opposition to such equality has anything to do with thoughtful, factually supported, objective reasoning.

What appears to be fundamental to this opposition is fear. And fear does not have to bow to reason. It does not need to make “sense,” especially to those who are fearful. Fear keeps us awake at night even when we know at some level that there are no “monsters” under the bed. Fear makes us take a bus rather than a plane when the data show that flying is just as safe. Fear is a tough thing to choke down or move beyond. It is certainly an emotion or challenge that cannot be adequately quelled by any reasoned argument in the short time between now and the November vote.

That places the burden of real support of this legislation on those who understand that there is nothing to fear in assuring equal legal protection to every Maine citizen. It is imperative that this majority of Mainers take their no vote to the polls this November and be counted so that we can, perhaps once and for all, put this issue to rest.

Dana Williams

Bangor