Crowell, Jetton only represent narrow segment

To the editor:

State Rep. Jason Crowell and state Rep. Rod Jetton do not truly represent their constituents. They choose instead to represent only those who fall under their narrow set of specifications: You must be heterosexual, and you must be willing to have your state constitution altered to exclude non-heterosexual people from having the same rights you have.

Their proposal for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages sounds dangerously like segregation: Keep them out of sight, keep them down, keep them from having what we have. The only difference is that the "them" has changed from African Americans to gays.

Your Dec. 20 story reports Jetton as saying that the "education establishment" promotes homosexuality. As an educator in the public school system who comes from a long line of teachers, I am deeply offended by the assumption that a teacher would promote any particular sexual orientation. Teachers spend their careers reaching out to as many kids as possible and teaching them to reach out to others.

I would like some explanation of where Jetton gets his information or else an admission that he pulled the statement out of thin air.

As for the statement that homosexuals "are not satisfied to live their lives," who is satisfied? Who doesn't wish his life could be better?

And who, while claiming to be Christian, could honestly decide that it is all right for us to discriminate against a particular group simply for being who they are? Apparently Jetton and Crowell can.

REBECCA HENSON

Farmington, Mo.