The deaths of our diplomats and representatives -- who exhibited strong feelings of compassion and the need to help other people in this world, even to the point of death -- was very somber. As I stood listening to our National Anthem as caskets were honored, I had deep thoughts of what makes America great. One tribute was that, "He was a lover of the human race." (That includes more than whites, Americans, men, heterosexuals, the rich, those who are youthful and other select humans.)
I remember recently seeing on a van crude lettering promoting racial hate of our president and urging his death. I thought of large political machines attempting to deny the right to marry to those who happen to have different genetic makeup and attempting to deny the rights of older and poorer people to vote by demanding difficult IDs.
Honor those who worked for human rights by voting "no" on these constitutional amendments on Minnesota ballots in November. The proposed amendments threaten the human rights of our constitution. Honor our president as our elected leader.
Tolerance for spirituality other than Christian spirituality is being degraded by groups trying to represent us with hate propaganda against other religions. Intolerant and hateful groups act outside of the true practice of Christianity, whose faith leader said, "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful, not arrogant or does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful (and) does not rejoice in wrong, but rejoices in the right." That does not mean the religious or political right. Large political machines are using rank-and-file Republicans to promote intolerance, negativity and hate.
It is ironic a hate film about Muslims might have precipitated these deaths.
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Margaret Olson Webster
Tamarack
