Letter: Trying to make someone’s beliefs illegal is wrong on many levels
The Feb. 7 top-of-the-front-page article on Idaho Rep. Labrador’s religious liberty bill — “clash over gay marriage” — is pure misinformation. Labrador’s bill protects the rights of religious and other private organizations to continue their centuries-old beliefs, that marriage is between a man and a woman and sexual relations are reserved for such a union.
The bill would protect the freedom of these private groups to be able to state their traditional beliefs or others to make donations to one of these groups without fear of financial damage; loss of job or being unable to bid for a government contract.
The “opposition points” given are about another subject — discrimination in the public sector based on sexual preference or morality. This discrimination, such as Stutzman’s flower shop refusal, was/is wrong. The “allowing federal employees to remove unwed mothers from federal housing” applies a morality criteria to who can receive subsidized rent — another form of illegal discrimination.
Why is the media and LBGT groups putting so much effort into muddying these, clearly separate issues? Discrimination is wrong and illegal, but trying to make someone’s beliefs illegal is wrong on many, many levels.
Steve Sontag, Richland
This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 11:58 PM with the headline "Letter: Trying to make someone’s beliefs illegal is wrong on many levels."