While Proposition 71 does not mention the word “homosexuality,” it is clearly the central issue at stake.

The following is offered in the hope that we might be more clear about the source of our feelings and beliefs on the issue.

Homosexuality is found throughout human history, worldwide, in all cultures, including high-functioning healthy persons.

Approximately one-fourth of those sitting in our churches or synagoges are from families that have one or more homosexual persons. Natually they don’t speak of it.

They don’t anticipate acceptance or approval. In other words, while homosexuality is a minority condition, it is also “normal” in the human specie.

Scholars of human behavior are making headway in the study of the origins of homosuxuality in humans, but humans are so miraculously complex that no “smoking gun” has yet been found.

One recent study may hold some promise, but is still too new and too incomplete.

It suggest that the uterine environment, the mother’s womb prior to giving birth, may have some effect.

But then again, the identical twins come from the same uterine environment.

When does homosexuality begin? Evidence for the condition can sometimes be seen in children as young as 18 months.

Trained observers fairly often detect the condition in children as young as 3 to 4 years of age.

Shall we say that a 4-year-old child has chosen a life of “sin?”

My answer is clearly no.

Heterosexuality or homosexuality is totally unrelated to a person’s quality of character. Honesty, courage and compassion are neither related to gender nor to gender preference.

Still, some in the heterosexual community believe that gays and lesbians are spiritually and morally inferior, just as many once believed that women, and blacks were inferior to white males.

It is time to continue our journey toward accepting both moral and legal equality for all humankind.

Dean Watt is a Port Orchard resident.