And in a related post...

In reference to my earlier post about Micheal Heath and his Christian Un - Civic League compatriots.

J.P. Devine: An open letter to Michael Heath

Oh Michael, why can't you let our gay brothers and sisters get married? This is pathetic, Michael. You have so many more important works of Jesus to perform. What about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, trying to get cable for the poor?

I'm sorry folks. This was supposed to be a private letter to Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League, but as long as you're listening in, I'll bring you up to date: "

Michael, I understand, is going to have his soldiers on our verdant streets this week, strolling with clipboards and pens and a paper for you all to sign YES on. That would be the league's Anti-Gay Petition Drive to take place on June 10, Maine's primary day, at polling places statewide. The drive that would rescind all state laws prohibiting anti-gay discrimination.

Oh Lord! Not again.

Michael. All that these people want are the same joy and miseries you and your wife share.

They want someone to kiss goodnight, to pull the blankets away from, to cover the snorer with a pillow and get some sleep.

They want someone else to take out the garbage, mow the lawn, drive their kids to school and cuddle by the television on cold nights and watch Obama kick Hillary in her pantsuit.

Give them a break.

My gay brothers and sisters aren't perfect, Michael. There are mean-spirited folks everywhere. Most are happy people.

I see them whenever I pass by a church on Sunday morning. I see them coming out of temple on the High Holy Days, wearing yarmulkes their mothers knitted for them. A yarmulke, Michael, is a skull cap that Jewish men wear to temple. I could get you one from a gay Jewish friend of mine, blue velvet to match your eyes.

And while we're talking Jewish, do you really think it's kosher (that means acceptable) for a Christian to tell Jewish gays that they can't get married, rent a condo in Old Orchard Beach, or adopt Vietnamese orphans and give then a happy home, with a puppy maybe?

Seriously, Michael. Does your mother know you're trying to deny American taxpaying citizens their basic rights, just because they don't play by your rules? Are you ready to go to Heaven and have to explain to Michelangelo, Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman and T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia," for God's sake, Michael) that you discriminated against gays?

They'll make you sit at the kids' table on Easter Sunday, Michael. We're in the fifth year of a terrible war: 4,080 dead, 30,329 wounded. Some of those boys and girls, Michael, were and are gay.

And think of this:

In your community of faithful, among your troops close by your side, there is a gay man or woman, boy or girl suffering great psychic pain. And while your followers are out putting tiny American flags on the graves of our fallen heroes, remind them that in some of those graves, a gay warrior is sleeping.

Happy Memorial Day, Michael.

J.P. Devine is a freelance writer living in Waterville, Maine.