That’s the only explaination for publishing this disgusting and manipulative piece:

Our hearts go out to people caught up in homosexuality. The destruction and pain that homosexuality leaves in its wake is deep and impacts so many more than just the individuals caught up in the activity. We now know several other couples who are struggling with a son who chose to engage in homosexuality. We know the pain they endure, and understand when they reach out for help. One person’s homosexuality causes stress and strain on every friend and relative who truly cares about them.

For the Iowa Supreme Court to sanction homosexual “marriage” is to encourage and underwrite the negative results that naturally come from the homosexual “lifestyle.” Aside from the physical destruction inflicted on those who practice homosexuality and the incredible stress homosexuals cause their extended families, society often pays a hefty price as well. Randy lost his job when he was no longer strong enough to work. With the loss of that job, he lost his ability to insure himself. As a result, you the taxpayer paid for more than $250,000 in medical bills for this one AIDS patient.

For those still uncertain about homosexual “marriage,” please understand that the more accepting we are of homosexuality as a society, the more likely it is that your family, and society in general, will suffer the pain that ultimately results. Homosexuality took the life of our son. We oppose homosexuality and homosexual “marriage” in the hope that we might help another family avoid the pain that we have endured.

Read the whole thing and have your mind blown by sheer horror of it all. The base exploitation of a dead son by bigoted parents, the ignorant belief in “recruiting,” the outrageously selfish view that the stress of homosexuality is exerted on the people around the homosexual, as opposed to the homosexual him or herself. Being gay is frequently stressful, because of people like Karl Showengerdt. Shame on the Des Moines Register. By all means publish those who oppose gay marriage, but let’s not let the discussion be reduced to this parodic tripe.