May 12, 2013Dear Sir,The debate on whether “gays” should be granted equal rights under the Human Rights Act reminded me of another debate many years ago which involved smokers’s rights versus non-smokers’ rights.It took years before some people, especially the powerful tobacco lobbyists, accepted that smoking was injurious to health and that second-hand smoke could be even more dangerous. This, after many, many smoker’s and non-smokers’ lives had been lost and others incapacitated for life - adults and children alike.There was no historic account where our ancestors went through the process of giving rights to smokers to smoke wherever they choose, and then leaving the awful results of that experiment to help us avoid the same pitfall. So, we had to learn the hard way. Now that we have learned, the public retains the right to breathe in air that is not immediately polluted by smokers and the smokers retain the right to continue smoking, albeit in their private dwellings or outside public buildings and workplaces.Now, when it comes to gay rights we do have an historic account where gays experienced little restraint and were allowed to express themselves freely. This account can be found in the book of Genesis, beginning with chapter 18 verse 16 and ending at chapter 19 and verse 29. Please consider verse 9, in chapter 19. There you will find similar reactions as you would find today - when certain activities of gays are challenged as being abnormal and unacceptable. You will see that:1. Those who challenged the gays, at that time, were referred to as being judgmental, and2. The use of pressure, by the gay movement, was exercised to get their way.There are many in our country who still believe in the Biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah and that this historical account shows the results of allowing gays the freedom to act out their passions in public places. We believe that the Scriptures have it right.It is clear that a woman and a man fit naturally together and can produce another human being, whereas, gays cannot. They do not fit together naturally and cannot naturally produce another human being.As the legislators and Human Rights Commission deliberates the issue of gay rights, I would like to see them consider the rights of others who see ancient and contemporary gay relationships as unnatural and who don’t want their children and/or grandchildren to have their minds affected by behaviours that are unnatural. I would also hope that they do not bow to the enormous pressure that the gay rights movement can exert and won’t be swayed by accusations of being judgmental against those who simply don’t want to see a proliferation of visible evidence of the gay lifestyle.Just as smokers only have their right to smoke without contaminating the lungs of non-smokers, so gays should only have a right to their lifestyle without contaminating the rest of society. How this can be accomplished is the work of the legislators and the Human Rights Commission. Gay rights should not supercede the rights of those of our citizens whose religious beliefs are based on the Scriptures that categorizes the gay lifestyle as unnatural.I am a senior citizen on a fixed income and whose children have all grown up and have made a life for themselves elsewhere. I have space in my home, and as a Christian, I would not mind letting a room, or indeed one of my apartments, to a gay person, providing that, they would not openly display their gay lifestyle on my premises. I would also rent to a smoker who agrees not to smoke in my space or room, or in any of my apartments, leaving them available to rent to non-smokers, who cannot stand the smell of smoke - smoking leaves a residue smell.Lawmakers, as you decide this difficult issue of gay rights, please don’t forget the rights of others who disagree with their lifestyle, and don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah.WANT MY RIGHTS TOOHamilton Parish