The 1950s were a time of great bigotry and misogyny. I respect our cousin Eisenhower, but he was flat out wrong to replace the inclusive American motto with a divisive one. I hope you are never forced to raise a non-white, non-believing, non-heterosexual, or non-male child in such an environment. If we work hard, we will never see those days again.
In answer to Ken Vance’s question in his March 4 editorial (“What are we entitled to when we’re offended?”), I would very much like you to change his opinion about the seriousness of this issue. There are patriots in this community. Stop demeaning them, because they are defending the rights of your descendants too.
Our county meetings already start with a prayer. How much more like a church do you need the taxpayer-built room to become before you acknowledge that the county government has been hijacked by two bigot men and their hierarchical religious dogma? Why should they pay attention to the citizens? Why should they believe in Democracy? “God” tells them what to do.
My ancestors arrived in America in 1620. They helped throw off the Church of England. Should I accept the current situation? Should you?
The Bible in the East, and later the Book of Mormon in the West, have been used to persecute blacks, Indians, women, non-believers, non-heterosexuals, and other minorities. These books don’t change with the times. Sometimes religious leaders “cherry pick” the good verses, or interpret the bad ones differently, but the bad verses are still in there and we must stay vigilant. Your right to your beliefs end when you try to inflict them legally on my and mine.
I would like all my non-white, non-believing, non-heterosexual, non-conservative, non-liberal, and non-male grandchildren, grandnieces and grandnephews to know that while I was defending their rights to participate in local government as equal citizens, an otherwise intelligent newspaper editor told me to “put on my big boy pants.”
Dave Norris
Battle Ground
