The Editor, Sir:

A touchy debate reignited last week; a home economics textbook in use at the secondary level is advancing the notion that same-sex couples, that is, two men or two women living together can be considered a 'family' who may even adopt children.

As far as I know, no Caribbean country has officially or even informally designated same-sex unions as family. Why these authors felt comfortable to ascribe such a designation without the permission of the Caribbean people is mind-boggling! Or is this another show of contempt for the so-called 'common man' (ignoramus) by so-called intellectuals?

The 'common man' however sees that the gay lifestyle is a dead-end road. They can't propagate the human race because it is impossible for them to 'be fruitful and multiply' and is therefore correctly fully convinced of the futility of the homosexual lifestyle.

We, Jamaicans, over the years, have shown ourselves to be a very tolerant people. Most, if not all of us, are aware of the existence of homosexuals in our community. Our passive tolerance of their lifestyle has apparently emboldened them and they are now more ambitious - they want more than tolerance they want acceptance!

This acceptance will never happen in Jamaica unless we completely abandon our Judeo/Christian principles. We can't rule this out because precedence has already been set with the surrender of those principles in the area of fornication: males and females engaged in sexual activity outside of the marriage circle.

All we ask of the homosexual community in the interim is, don't try to shove your lifestyle down our throats; seek our permission and consent first! Until then, please respect our right of way!

I am, etc.,

CARLOS KING

carlos.r.king@hotmail.com

Old Harbour P.O.

St. Catherine