To the editor:

Several letters to the “Public Forum” have been written by Christians proclaiming that while they support a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, they do not “hate” those who participate in such marriages. I am wondering what they mean by this. They are working actively to deprive certain citizens of benefits that others enjoy: visitation of loved ones in the hospital, joint insurance coverage for a couple when only one is employed, joint medical benefits for a couple and inheritance rights.

The reason for this deprivation is not because those couples have harmed them. None of the actions of these couples threatens these people in any way. More than that, the only reason for depriving these couples of the benefits others enjoy is because the Christians have decided they do not like them. If causing suffering to others and depriving them of benefits just because one does not agree with them does not constitute hatred, I am not sure what does.

S. Daniel Breslauer,

Lawrence