Regarding the hate-filled and illogical June 1 letter to the editor, “Must rethink Gates, gay leaders,” about Boys Scouts of America leader Bill Gate’s advocacy for allowing gay leaders in Scouting:

I am the mother of a gay son. He’s in high school and a really great kid. I was born straight with blue eyes; he was born gay with brown eyes. It didn’t surprise us when he came out as gay, the signs were there from a very young age. We loved him when we didn’t know he was gay and we love him now that we do. Nothing has changed except that I don’t have to worry about having daughter-in-law issues.

Did you know that being born heterosexual doesn’t make one a pedophile, just as being gay doesn’t make one a pedophile?

Do you know what the “gay lifestyle” is? Neither do I. According to my son it’s a predilection for watching “Golden Girls” reruns. Sexual orientation is not a “lifestyle.” The term seems to equate being gay with promiscuity. Then what about the heterosexual ” lifestyle”? You would have to agree that many heterosexuals do not seem to have a problem embracing promiscuous behavior. One can’t stereotype people, gay or straight. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people live their lives as varied as heterosexuals. The ability for all loving couples to marry would certainly benefit us all.

It doesn’t sound like the author of the letter attends church and I don’t have any issue with that, I just find it strange because much of the stigma against gays stems from certain interpretations of the Bible. Church is important to me; we are Christians and my son is a deacon in our church. Discrimination against gays is the only Bible-sanctioned prejudice some still hold on to. We’ve already figured out the Bible really doesn’t want us to own slaves and that the subjugation of women is really not a good thing. A book I found helpful on the subject is Matthew Vines’ book, “God and the Gay Christian.”

It’s hard to understand why many men, such as the letter’s author, are so threatened by homosexuality. I have my own theories on that, which I will keep to myself. Don’t you think the ability to love whom one wants to love is the most basic of human rights?

Lastly, let’s talk about the “gay” agenda. In our family that means doing well on upcoming SAT tests, going to high school leadership camp this summer, going to college, getting a job, getting married, having 2.5 kids, a dog and two cats and being an involved and giving member of your community. I hope all kids are raised with the same “gay” agenda.

The Boy Scouts are a wonderful organization. I recently designed a camp building pro bono for them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have some archaic policies that need to change.

The author of the letter is welcome at our house anytime for dinner so he, too, can experience the “gay lifestyle” and my fabulous apple pie.

Love is love.

Joan Robinett Wilson is a Snohomish resident.