June 9, 2021
Dear editor;
A response to Mr. Wayne Lela in The Voice last week, https://thevoice.us/readers-voice-thoughts-on-pride-month-atone:
Aaah, the month of June is here. The air is warm, the sun rises early, flowers are blooming and bigots are spewing forth their hate and intolerance. I must ask those such as Mr. Lela, what business is it of yours what goes on in your neighbors’ bedrooms? Do you not comprehend that Pride means never having to apologize for being yourself? What you deem to be immoral is no more immoral than judging one’s neighbor. Let’s see, where is it that we read, “Judge not lest you be judged”? Oh yes, the same book that tells us to love our neighbors.
Many years ago my grandmother was judged as being inferior because she and her family emigrated from Italy. “Those People” had no business polluting the American way of life. Many years later, after my father died, my white mother faced people who chose to hate her and, by proxy, her children, of whom I was one. Her immoral sin was two-fold. Not only did she marry a Mexican national, she did it without the consent of the parish priest! When I was in college, I was shunned by fellow students who believed it to be immoral to date a lovely lady of African American persuasion. I quit going to church when the pastor told me that I cannot bring her to meeting.
Mr. Lela, I pray for those similar to you who have so little love in their hearts that they cannot find the good in all people.
Tj Johnson, DeMotte, Ind.