Dear Sir,

Since the referendum on same-sex marriage and civil unions was announced, there has been an almost unanimous and collective eye-rolling. Why are we going to the polls for an issue that really should be advocated for with legislation? It’s looking like a monumental waste of time, money and resources.

I have been looking at both sides of the same-sex marriage and civil unions argument. I found that the faceless but well-oiled “No, No” campaign machine hasn’t really given us any real reason to oppose same-sex marriage and civil unions beyond its bigoted and offensive comments on its literature, and the news blogs.

When it has tried to give reasons or talking points, they have been debunked time and time again with real facts from “Yes, Yes” campaigners, so the question as to why anyone would support them is perplexing. But despite that, their heels are dug in deep. They will oppose same-sex marriage until their dying breath.

Well, they clearly do not live within reality because gay men and women have been in meaningful relationships for years and no harm has come to any straight person because of it. There is no gay agenda except to pay one’s mortgage, some bills and probably take a vacation a couple of times a year — just like everyone else.

The “Yes, Yes” campaign is not faceless. Brave men and women, straight and gay, have given their time and their names to supporting the cause and they should be applauded.

The other thing I found, sadly, is that those that stand to benefit from same-sex marriage and their supporters are also saying that they may not even vote in this referendum simply because it should not have gone to a referendum. True, it should not have to, but these folks are failing to realise that the “No, No” campaign is going to come out and vote en masse and in force.

They probably don’t want to be bothered with a referendum, either, but they are determined to deny the gay men and women of Bermuda the right to enter into meaningful and lawful marriages. They want to oppress with no real reasons and pretend that Mr and Mr or Mrs and Mrs don’t exist in a modern-day Bermuda.

They are trying to tell you that your gay child, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, co-worker, friend, neighbour and even your gay mother or father have no right to be in a meaningful or lawful relationship with anyone they choose to be in one with. They want to throw some 2,000-year-old text at you and tell you that there is no place for this in today’s society.

You can hate that the Government has foisted this waste of a referendum on us, but you will hate it even more if the returns on this vote come to a “No, No” win. You will wish you had participated.

My question to those who support same-sex marriage but are casting doubt on this referendum: is this the Bermuda you want? Do you really want it to join the rest of the world of forward-moving free thinkers or remain in the dark ages? I know I certainly don’t and never will.

I doubt this will come around again any time soon, but maybe a “Yes, Yes” win will cause the Government to move on this and afford these rights. Maybe we don’t even really know what the Government’s real motivations are on this.

Remember all that folly about “going back to the plantation”? Well, that’s what the “No, No” campaign aims to do to gay people in Bermuda.

I sincerely encourage you to vote “Yes, Yes”.

MILTON RAPOSO

• On occasion, The Royal Gazette may decide to not allow comments on what we consider to be a controversial or contentious story. As we are legally liable for any slanderous or defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers