Civil rights not debatable

Dear Editor: It becomes utterly ridiculous (and admittedly funny at some point) for one to read the last addition to Elsa Van Leuven’s rant, which more than anything reflects her own hateful views (not opinions) regarding LGBTQIA culture, science, and the supposed “progressives” we have in American politics.

First, to say that biblical views serve as a guide for people’s condemnation of homosexuality is not an opinion.  It is a misguided and prejudicial view based on a mis-translated archaic text that calls for limiting the civil rights of a group of people who have a distinct (or similar) sexual preference to Van Leuven.  Ironically, historically speaking, the same text that Van Leuven claims people just “have opinions” was used in justifying racism, colonization, and slavery. Sorry Van Leuven, strike one.

The race card? Really?  I’m sure to Ms. Van Leuven Trayvon Martin’s and Jordan Davis’ family employed that card well.  I’m sorry but just because we have an African American president doesn’t mean that racism has disappeared.  In fact, it’s because we have an African American president that all the neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups, the Tea Party folks, have come out of the woodwork to “save America.” It’s not a coincidence racism is in full force.  Strike two!

In 2014 is Ms. Van Leuven really going to claim evolution is just not true at all? She’s seriously going to write in a letter that it is hard “to understand that something came from nothing”?  That is a horribly simplistic understanding of evolution (I strongly recommend starting with Darwin’s “Origin of Species”). Strike three.

Attributing the decline of this nation to so-called Progressives is actually ridiculous and incorrect. Is she talking about the Green Party? The Peace and Freedom Party? President Obama is a Democrat and last I checked, the Democrats, like the Republicans, are wedded to corporate sponsorship, have pretty much parallel views to Republicans when it comes to foreign policy, and only differ slightly from the GOP when it comes to social services and education. Technically, the nation’s economic woes is thanks to the collaboration of both parties having paid attention to making corporations richer and keeping the rest of us battling for crumbs. Strike out!

About the only thing sustainable in Ms. Van Leuven’s letter was to ask voters to vote no for Measure B.  I agree with her on this one. We should be in control as to whether or not we DO or DO NOT want our own fire and police departments.

Giovanni Hortua

Downey

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Published: May 1, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 03