Dear Editor-

On Wednesday, January 4th Governor Christine Gregoire stated her support for same-sex marriage. 
She said, “Same-sex couples should not be denied that meaning of marriage. Equal rights for same-sex couples is not only a good thing, it's the right thing to do."

Many want to say that those who stand against same-sex marriage are bigoted and homophobic. 
Nothing can be further from the truth. Rather, those who stand for marriage as God designed it to be and natural laws support, are simply standing for love, truth, and what is proven best for people and society. 

God created marriage to be between a man and a woman. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) Since that time, marriage in every society and every culture has been between men and women only.

There are obvious reasons for this. Men and women are the natural complement for each other and together only men and women can have children. This may seem discriminatory and bigoted to some, but it is the way we are made. The truth is that every same-sex couple needs to be glad that their parents weren’t 
same-sex couples, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. 



Governor Gregoire also stated that marriage is about love, and we should not deny same-sex people who love each other the right to get married. If love is the only criteria for marriage, then we should not deny “love marriages” in any case. Brother and sister, father and daughter, father and son, mother and son, Tom and Mike and Debbie and Sally, or Mike and his dog Bruno.

Under that definition, whatever combination you want to set up as long as there is “love” should be allowed.

If not, you are discriminating against those people. Love has never been a requirement for marriage, it certainly helps, but being of the opposite sex always has. 



Marriage is also important for the raising of children. In any same-sex household, children in that home are denied either a father or a mother.

Studies have overwhelmingly shown that a home with a loving committed husband and wife is the best environment for raising children.

Marriage is at the core of the family and family is at the core of our society.

The breakdown of marriage through divorce has already had grave consequences in our society. Changing the definition of marriage will have catastrophic and unintended consequences as we erase and redefine marriage. 



I’m not one who likes to spend a lot of time and energy on legislative issues, but some issues affect not only me but my children, future grandchildren, and generations to come. It is time for all who believe in marriage as God designed it to be and natural law dictates it to be, to stand up and stand against this ridiculous effort to redefine marriage, and support marriage between a man and a woman only. 



Pastor Randy Leskovar

Calvary Chapel West Seattle

EDITORS NOTE: This letter was published in our print edition two weeks ago. It was intended to be published online at that time but through our error was not.