Governor Martin O'Malley's announcement that he intends to lead efforts to pass a same-sex marriage bill is about the worst decision this liberal Democrat has made yet to pull Maryland into the gutter ("O'Malley to back same-sex marriage," July 23).

Same-sex marriage has no business in the Free State or anywhere else in the country. A marriage is between a man and a woman — period.

This is all about the votes that the Democrats hope to win in the next election.

If Governor O'Malley goes through with this foolishness, let the citizens of Maryland force it to another referendum like the one on the Dream Act's granting of college tuition breaks for illegal immigrants.

Enough already of these repeated left-wing attempts to curry favor with voters.

Al Eisner, Silver Spring