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To the Editor:
Tom Cardella’s op-ed on “Same-sex marriage” (May 24) raises some interesting points. He declares such a union is not only a civil right but also a “human right.”
But, is marriage between any two human beings an inherent right simply by virtue of the fact that they are human? Those who differ with Tom say that marriage is not a civil or human right but rather a state-authorized entitlement, and as such, must meet certain legal criteria, such as whether or not the couple is blood-related. So far, not one sovereign state has legalized same-sex marriage but some have legalized civil unions.
Tom agrees with Daily News columnists Christine Flowers and Stu Bykofsky that any religion has the right to make its own marriage laws. The Catholic church, for example, considers marriage a holy sacrament instituted by Christ and governed by immutable rules that exclude same-sex participants.
If a civil union is thus the only possible venue for this new paradigm of commitment, then there should be some guarantee in place that a gay couple receives the exact same rights and privileges as heterosexual married couples.
Meanwhile, absent a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a civil right, each state will have to live with its own definition and rules.
Gloria C. Endres
South Philadelphia
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