Speak up for civil rights

In response to “Religious liberty under assault,” June 9, from Donna Kuhn:

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer was correct, therefore must I act.

Gay rights don’t impact religious liberties. You may refuse to allow gay people into your home without fear of reprisal. You may refuse to marry a gay person without penalty. You may deny gay people access to your church if your church holds it against their belief to include them.

What you may not do is deny gay persons the same civil rights that you enjoy because they’re gay. Neither their sexual orientation nor the matter of whom they commit their life to impacts your life. This is the only baseline for deciding rights issues.

The evil lies not in granting gay people equal status before the law, which is the foundation of American jurisprudence, but in denying them the same rights that others enjoy simply because they’re gay.

People don’t possess the legal right to enforce their religious prejudices on others, though they are free to voice their opinion if they so desire.

Joe Lang

Spokane