Anchorage Daily News

Same-sex marriages should be as legal as opposite-sex matrimony

We couldn't agree more with Allison Mendel's "Barriers to same-sex marriage should come tumbling down." (Compass, Dec. 29). Same-sex couples should have the same substantive rights as opposite-sex couples to choose one's life partner, and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognized, and protected family relationship that enjoys all the constitutionally based incidents of marriage. Treating same-sex couples differently from opposite-sex couples has no rational basis in the law.

Society's mores change. Remember, slavery and segregation were once legal. At one time, women could not vote and blacks and whites were not allowed to marry. And during World War II, many Japanese were sent to concentration camps. The list of wrongs corrected by the courts or the legislatures goes on and on.

Will the institution of marriage be threatened? It doesn't threaten our marriage. Given the high divorce rate in the United States, it would appear that the institution of marriage is already threatened. Isn't it ludicrous to allow convicted murderers, child molesters, known pedophiles, drug pushers, pimps, black market arms dealers, etc., the freedom to marry and procreate -- and they are doing so -- and deny committed consenting and loving same-sex adults this right?

-- Judi Iranyi and Ralph E. Stone

San Francisco

Talking 'family values' is easy

Has it occurred to anyone to question Sarah Palin's so called "family values" after she let her teenage daughter run around with and get pregnant by the son of a drug dealer?

-- Cynthia Lyons

Anchorage

Electoral College was a big factor in approval of the Constitution

With all of the discussion regarding the Electoral College and the confusion regarding the apparent violation of the "one man, one vote" principle associated with it, we have to remember that the Constitution established the Electoral College in the aftermath of the American Revolution amidst the confusion of trying to operate a national government under the then-existing Articles of Confederation.

In the 1780s each of our states were virtually independent mini-nations. States printed their own money, controlled their own military, and even set tariffs on interstate trade.

In order to guarantee the passage of the current Constitution, the Constitutional Convention needed to assure that all states would maintain a voice in the selection of national leadership; otherwise it's probable that the Constitution would never have been approved. In effect, the election of our president became a vote of the people in their respective states, not the people of the nation, and the states then made their vote to reflect the will of their respective citizens.

Today the Electoral College is a remnant of the sovereignty states used to enjoy. It might be archaic, but it was an important provision that secured the passage of the Constitution at a critical time in our country's history that allowed for the creation of our current government.

-- Stephen O'Brien

Anchorage

Gas line would bring jobs to state

About the high cost of the gas pipeline: This country currently spends $10 billion a month on the war in Iraq. A three-month cease fire would be enough to finance the whole thing.

I believe this country is facing an economic depression. Building the gas line would be a very good make-work project.

-- Bill Lathan

Anchorage

Monopoly keeps fuel prices high

I hope the state refineries and their retailers had a prosperous Christmas -- we're currently paying twice as much for gas as many places in the Lower 48. I'm a free marketer. Unfortunately we don't have a free market for gas/fuel oil in Alaska: We have a near-monopoly.

Bush Alaska is practically dying on the vine and the state economy is hurting all over because of this greed. The state should either buy Flint Hills and expand it to distribute gas at cost, or probably the easier thing would be to tax these guys 11 cents for every 10 they're over the national average. Hopefully the state legislators will grow a spine and takes steps to rectify this in the spring.

-- Richard Kent

Homer

Report on mine riddled with errors

I am writing in response to Friday's (19th December 2008) Compass piece about Anglo American's Lisheen mine in Ireland.

These claims appear to have been recycled from the misinformed report commissioned by groups opposed to the proposed Pebble project. A full discussion about the issues raised in regard to Lisheen is contained in the report: "Anglo American: The Reality," on the company's Web site, and I would encourage your readers to review the section on Lisheen mine in this document.

To set the record straight, your readers should know that Lisheen mine was commissioned in 1999, not 2006 and the rivers below the mine are in fact both open and fully available for fishing and normal agricultural activity. Research conducted in collaboration with Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency revealed that water quality in these rivers was unaffected by Lisheen mine.

Anglo American believes that strong regulation reflects the high expectations that governments, communities, our own employees and society as a whole have of modern mining. Alaska is no exception to this; its regulatory system expects and demands some of the highest standards in the U.S.

Thank you for allowing me to provide the "other point of view" and may I extend season's greetings and best wishes for 2009 to all your readers.

-- Paul A Henry

Anglo American US (Pebble) LLC

Anchorage

Results confirm merits of veggies

Bravo to Ms. Renideo ("Fruits and vegetables are a tasty ticket to a better life," Dec. 22) for outlining a clear, practical and effective way to escape heart attack, obesity and diabetes and reduce our risk of cancer. Healthy choices really do make a difference!

As an instructor for the Coronary Health Improvement Project, I see participants' cholesterol levels drop significantly, blood sugar stabilize and excess weight begin to fall off -- all in just four weeks on a plant-based diet. And this with plenty of delicious, colorful and satisfying food at every meal. Truly, as she says, "We don't need to live in fear. We can take charge of our own health."

-- Judith A. James

Homer

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