Justice of the peace welcomes more gay marriage ceremonies

RE "STATE sees economics of gay marriage" (City & Region, July 15): As a Massachusetts justice of the peace, I feel that Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, is fighting a lost cause.

Massachusetts does indeed lure couples from other states, as well as other countries, for their nuptials. I have been fortunate to officiate over the ceremonies of couples from across the nation and as far away as the United Kingdom, Germany, and Holland whose wish was to get married in Massachusetts.

No, they were not same-sex couples, because I have had to inform them that their marriage would not be recognized by their state or country upon their return home. I felt as if I had discriminated against their rights when I had to inform them of this.

I have had the privilege to marry many gay and lesbian couples from Massachusetts, and I have made some great friends. I did not only marry them because the law says that I must. I married them because they were people who were in love and had a desire to make their relationship legal, and they were allowed to do so.

I can guarantee, just from my experience of inquiries from same-sex-couples, that repeal of the 1913 law that bars gay and lesbian couples from other states from marrying in Massachusetts would indeed increase revenue for the state. But revenue should not be the only factor for this repeal.

CAROL J. MERLETTI
Malden