Knight Initiative

Re “Initiative Divides a Family,” Nov. 24: State Sen. Pete Knight says the situation between him and his son is a personal matter, unrelated to politics. Unfortunately, Sen. Knight, with your sponsorship of Proposition 22, you have made this personal matter a political one for every voter in the state of California who has a gay or lesbian family member. Unlike your son David Knight, I know I can depend upon my family and friends to think about my future when entering the voting booth.

MILES KETCHUM

Aliso Viejo

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The story of Pete Knight and his son David is of immense human interest. But ultimately it is only a human interest story. If it weren’t Pete Knight sponsoring the Limit on Marriage Initiative, banning same-gender marriages from being recognized in California, it would surely be some other right-wing politician or backward-looking religious group. The key is: Where is the funding coming from that’s behind this initiative?

The fact is that the conditions under which civil or religious marriage may be legally contracted have undergone many changes over the millennia. In our lifetime, in certain states and countries blacks could not marry whites, Jews could not marry Gentiles.

As a 100-year-old Jewish organization dedicated to fighting bigotry and tyranny, the Workmen’s Circle stands firmly for the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry.

ERIC A. GORDON, Director

Workmen’s Circle, L.A.

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Pete Knight says he is not telling anyone how to live. I disagree. I am in a long-term (six years) relationship with another man. If Proposition 22 passes, I cannot even dream of getting married.

My partner is a Mexican citizen, living in Mexico, without significant savings in the bank, and certainly without a wife and children. Because of this, due to our xenophobic laws, he cannot even get a tourist visa to visit me in L.A., much less live with me. So we cannot even be domestic partners.

I do not understand Pete Knight’s claim that my marriage would somehow harm his.

RODNEY HOFFMAN

Los Angeles