Dear Editor,I would like to thank Mr. Tramel for the civility in his response to my previous letter and his insight into the muddiness of the legal world, particularly so in these cases.

If I had implied that a civil union carried with it the full force of marriage papers, I was fully in the wrong.

I merely wished to attempt to dispel, among other things, the notion that homosexuals were barred from all the rights of heterosexual unions.

To my knowledge, legal contracts can be formed between members of any sex concerning matters such as hospital visitation and medical decisions, for instance.

Is it different? Sure.

Is it less valid? Not to my knowledge.

Your issues with ETSU insurance and leave policies I find to be unjust, and would gladly stand with you and fight them.

If you and your husband were barred from adopting a child – as I believe Arkansas made a move against last year – I would gladly stand and fight with you.

If you took up the cause of making all unions civil unions, I would gladly stand and fight with you.

Equal rights should be fought for by everyone, even those privileged enough to not be personally affected.

However, I will always question someone who I find to be using misinformation in support or opposition of a matter, as I find it to muddy the waters of discourse, and I would expect someone to do it of me, as well.

Best wishes to you and your husband.

– Chris Thedy

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