Utah's Golden Rule | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

May 17 is the ninth anniversary for marriage equality in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the past nine years, not one individual, not one family, not one religious or civic organization has been harmed by secular equality. Not one.

The average fifth-grader understands that some words are spelled the same but have completely different, unrelated meanings. For example, "nut" can mean: (a) an edible seed, or (b) a manufactured part used with a bolt to hold stuff together.

Similarly, "marriage" can mean: (a) a religious ceremony, or (b) a collection of legal benefits and protections defined by secular law.

Jesus said the golden rule (treat others as you want others to treat you) is the second-greatest commandment. What part of the Golden Rule is so difficult for the majority of Utahns to understand?

Why do Utahns deny their neighbors the legal benefits and protections that they themselves enjoy? Ask any fifth-grader in Massachusetts — I'm sure they know that all of their neighbors should be treated equally.

David Saari

Midvale