Letters to the Editor: What is it with the religious animus toward LGBTQ+ people?
To the editor: Reading about the Colorado graphic artist who cited her religious beliefs to refuse designing websites for same-sex weddings, I thought of a few headlines that didn’t smack you upside the head recently.
- “Supreme Court to decide if a Christian business owner can turn away interracial couples.”
- “Right-wing court eyes Asian American rights again.”
- “Supreme Court to hear case pitting Latino rights against religion.”
- “Justices spar in latest clash of religion and Black rights.”
What is it with religion and the LGBTQ+ population, equal to any other minority in terms of its intrinsic nature? Queer folk are arguably the world’s favored punching bag, thanks to religion.
Believers (of what I’m not sure) need to mind their own business and serve people equally, no matter how their God created them. And Christians, in particular, would be morally served by actually following their savior’s teachings.
R. Daniel Foster, Los Angeles
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To the editor: UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky is correct. The 1st Amendment does not enshrine a right to discriminate.
However, in the Colorado same-sex wedding case, the individual being discriminated against is the graphic artist compelled to render services that violate her deeply held religious beliefs.
The government should not force individuals to promote ideology they strongly disagree with, especially when there are hundreds of other businesses that would readily appreciate rendering the service sought.
As a consumer, I take my business where it is desired. End of issue.
Sam Chaidez, Mission Hills
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To the editor: Clearly, graphic artist and web designer Lorie Smith is a card-carrying “cafeteria Christian.” She loves dining at the Bible buffet where she can pick and choose the precepts to cite as reasons for not providing services, while ignoring others.
If she was true to her faith, she would also not create website messages for those sinning customers who wear clothing of wool and linen mixed together, or who’ve been divorced and remarried, or who perform any work on Sunday.
The list of offenders is endless, but were Smith to be consistent in her religious stance, her budding business would tank overnight. She is cherry-picking a few biblical passages to support her narrow belief toward one group while ignoring the offenses of others.
Bruce Scottow, Los Angeles
