The quoted letter is from The Garden Island web site’s mail bag:

Let’s not fall as quickly as Rome. So, Gov. Abercrombie is blaming his humiliating primary loss on his decision to call a special session to legalize homosexual marriage. Perhaps he should, as he evidently hasn’t learned much from the past. In a way, weren’t we here a couple thousand years ago? The ancient and primitive Greeks and Romans crassly valued homosexual relations. But eventually the people wised up and realized that was a mistake e.g., Plato condemned homosexual activity, and homosexual activity was again logically deemed unethical and was basically driven underground.Now, wayward, ever-so-trendy “progressives” are trying to take us back thousands of years to more primitive and decadent times, despite the fact that thinking people have known for centuries that homosexual activity is immoral and a bad legal precedent.It may surprise you that some colleges like Harvard now have officially recognized student groups devoted to promoting the acceptance of BDSM — sexually deviant bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism. That’s right. If you are a student who gets turned on by smacking people around, some colleges like Harvard now have groups for you! Bizarre.The “logic” of heterophobic homosexuals is rapidly leading this society down a slippery slope to a more aberrant, disordered and irrational society. Rome didn’t fall in a day. But it did fall. Let’s not join the race to the bottom.

Wayne Lela Downers Grove, Ill

I originally chuckled thinking about the language used here:

The “logic” of heterophobic homosexuals is rapidly leading this society down a slippery slope to a more aberrant, disordered and irrational society.

It is just so rich! Where to start: Logic? Aberrant, disordered and irrational society? Or my personal favorite, heterophobic homosexuals (who must have no logic). Although the stuff about BDSM is pretty hard to pass up, but I will for now!

I have not followed Governor Abercrombie’s misfortune. I do not know if blaming his loss on his actions regarding same-sex marriage is purely spin, or if it has merit. Elections, and especially primaries can be interesting beasts. It is too simplistic to measure up a primary win or loss as if it says too much other than another candidate was able to turn out more voters than you were. Or here is that same sentiment in Abercrombie’s words:

Republicans are allowed to vote for Democrats in Hawaii’s open primary, and Abercrombie said they chose to vote against him because of his support for gay marriage and because they think his party rival, state Sen. David Ige, is an easier target to beat in the general election.

“Republicans crossed over en masse to vote in the Democratic primary, and then the religious factor came in,” Abercrombie said. “Doctrinally I was outside the circle and paid for it.” He argued that voters were urged to choose his opponent by their religious leaders.

In other words, conservative Christians used the primary for pay back. We have seen this before. In some regards, voting is a more acceptable version of mob rule, and through out the history of the struggle for gay marriage religious influence in elections has been a major factor.  I have no deep analysis of Abercrombie’s political path/agenda. When you stick your neck out (call for a special session) you are taking a chance. Thoughtful politicians try to do the right thing for the people while also trying to protect themselves.. Sometimes doing the right thing just is what it is, and the outcome follows. The moral of the story is that the religious right can still hold great weight if it is managed, and progressives have to be aware of that. I’m guessing that Abercrombie believed that legalizing same-sex marriage would bring lots of rainbow cash to Hawaii, as a destination wedding location. Has that financial idea played out? But let’s get back to the letter at hand.

Yes, some people have lots of nasty things to say about homosexuals. Although none of what this letter talks about is either true or relevant, it merely is an illustration of the justifications used to promote homophobia.

OK, so I used one of those “phobia” words- homophobic, heterophobic… sometimes you have to laugh. Those who support marriage equality are not anti-straight people. We love straight people! We just don’t believe our sexual orientation ought to inhibit us from having the same legal protections for our relationships and our families. Wayne is merely name-calling in that classic junior high fashion when he uses “heterophobic homosexuals.” This Far Right Christian attitude only succeeds if gay and straight people can be pitted against each other. Those who oppose marriage equality have no relevant, logical, or supportable way to object to marriage equality, so they are left to try and frame it as an us vs them argument,hoping that those who don’t stop to think about it will side with them.

Most disappointing about Wayne’s letter is his ignorance of History. No thinking person cites the acceptance of same-sex relationships as the cause of the Fall of Rome. It isn’t even true to say that ancient Greek and Romans valued homosexuality, and every bit of real history points at a long list of reasons why Rome fell with homosexuality no where on the list. The base sentiment here is catholic propaganda which suggests that the polytheistic greeks and romans were inferior to monotheistic culture epitomized by the rise of Christianity. Indeed some scholars go so far as to suggest the rise of Christianity was one factor that helped bring down the Roman Empire.

Abercrombie was just like many other politicians. He did what he believed he needed to do, and another candidate/interest found a way to use it and get someone else elected. And in regard to Wayne’s letter, free speech entitles people to say really stupid stuff sometimes. But when this is all they have, it is clear that the future for gay, lesbian bi, trans and queer people is getting better by the day.

via Letters for Sept. 1, 2014 – Thegardenisland.com: Mailbag.