Keep church, state separate

Regarding the letter to the editor published June 6, “Rights expansion wrong,” I find this alarming. People who live in the United States of America must remember that our government must separate church and state.

This letter was a plea for Washington state government to make policy and law using the Christian religion’s very complicated and varied interpretation of the Bible. This is just wrong, period.

Yes, there are more Christians than other religions in the U.S. That is not a good reason. Our early members who embraced slavery, lack of women’s rights, etc., were mostly Christians. That is not a reason.

Government must keep this absolutely neutral, considering it is completely all right to be of any religion (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc., etc.) or no religion at all (secular, atheist). We are a melting pot, and freedom of speech and thought is paramount. It is very refreshing to see our country moving away from being run by old, white males (a demographic I happen to share).

It is somewhat troubling to see freedoms of speech hindered in the name of this or that. Our state could take a lesson from Oregon in that regard.

Ron Shroll

Spokane