Letters to the Editor
Consider ringing the bell for Salvation Army
It's the Christmas season, and for my son, Walter, and I, it is time to get out the long underwear and ring the bell for the Salvation Army. I can honestly say that it is the best thing that we do all holiday season. This is our seventh year ringing outside the Walmart.
And yes, it gets cold and snowy (it is amazing how many layers I can get under my winter coat), and hard on the wrist. But the wonderful people we meet who come to the Kettle, make it all worth it. We also have made friends with the great people who work at the Walmart and the dedicated Salvationists who show their faith every day. The best part is watching the parents and grandparents of young children bringing them to the kettle and teaching them to help others.
It makes us happy to know that our efforts are a small part of the good works that the Army does for the poor, homeless, sick and elderly all over the world. But to the real point of my letter: The army needs bell ringers at many Holland locations. One need only volunteer for two hours at a time, and it really will be the best thing you do all holiday season. The Salvation Army office number in Holland is 616-392-4461. Give them a call.
Judith and Walter SchneiderSaugatuck
Voters, the solution is in our hands
We know when politicians publicly demonize individuals, sometimes disclosing their name and contact information, they are inciting a small but significant fringe group to attack that individual. The attackers come in many forms: mobs outside their homes or workplace, abusive phone calls, threats to family members, or physical assaults. It is nothing short of domestic terrorism.
Examples abound: Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger and his family received violent threats for months after former-President Trump falsely claimed Georgia’s voting system was rigged. Bill Gates, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, is in hiding after Kari Lake made similar baseless accusations.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the target of many Trumpian ads, receives multiple daily threats and was the target of a kidnapping conspiracy. Many representatives face similar threats and cannot assume a walk down the street is safe. Nancy Pelosi was repeatedly demonized by many Republicans, and her husband was literally hammered as a result. Jewish synagogues, Black churches, and gay nightclubs all have been deadly targets instigated by hate speech.
According to the Human Rights Commission, after Gov. Ron DeSantis began his Don’t-Say-Gay campaign, hate speech on social media increased by 400%. Did this potential candidate for president know that his words might cause unstable people to threaten gay citizens? He’s a smart man; he knew, but he was willing to trade their well-being for votes. While there is no direct link between DeSantis and the Colorado nightclub shooter, he willingly contributed to the supply of hate that fuels such actions. Politicians who use their position to demonize others should not receive a single vote from those who want the killing and domestic terrorism to stop. Peddlers of hate like DeSantis, Trump and Lake can no longer be overlooked or ignored.
Voters, the solution is in our hands.
Richard KamischkeGrand Haven Township
Who is responsible?
Once again hate against LGBT folks raises its ugly head — this time in a mass shooting in Colorado Springs. Who is responsible for this hate?
The man who pulled the trigger and the person(s) who enabled him to possess an AR-15 rifle are responsible. The political party that enables civilians to possess weapons of war is responsible.
But the true responsibility rests with the religions that preach and teach hate against LGBT folks. In America, it is the so-called evangelical far-right faction of the Christian religion. Every Christian priest, minister, teacher and parent who preaches/teaches that one is not allowed to be gay or is not allowed to love another person of the same sex is responsible. All politicians stirring up fear to win votes and all voters who support laws permitting the dehumanizing discrimination of LGBT persons are responsible.
I have long been a strong advocate for the poor, minorities, and refugees, but I was blind to the consequences of tolerating harassment. After my gay son opened my eyes, I added LGBT folks to that list.
Are you responsible for hate crimes against LGBT persons? I once was. I once taught in a Christian school system and was member a denomination that taught hate. From the pulpit and school administration, the word was that harassment will keep kids from choosing to be gay and is a way of loving them to keep them from going to hell.
Because of this misunderstanding of love, my son was in hell from age 12-22. The isolation and harassment, supported by a twisted use of scripture, caused him to be suicidal, having the pills lined up twice. I was responsible for my child’s self-loathing because I brought him up according to the gospel of James Dobson. It almost killed him.
When he came “out” to us at age 22, we had no clue — it does not happen to Christians. We asked him why he needed to tell us. His response was theologically shattering. “I needed to know if you loved me!” He had assumed Jesus, society, friends and even his parents must hate him because he was gay. Considering his feelings as evil, he chose not to feel. It does not take a psychologist to know what happens to a child who does not feel loved.
Some parents of gay children go into the closet. I was told to do so. “Be quiet; you could lose your job.” My wife and I discussed it and I concluded that I cannot be quiet. If an LGBT student in my school commits suicide, I am complicit in that death. I tried to stop harassment in my classroom, but the principal would not support me. One student, knowing that, stated, “Who are you to tell me I can’t harass gays, when God says I can kill them.” I was declared a heretic by my school, which fired me, and by my church, which we left.
There are several scripture passages in both the Old and New Testaments telling us to love God and your neighbor as you love yourself! My wife asked me an interesting question several days ago. I’ll leave it up to theologians for the answer. “If a person does not love their neighbor, can that person truly love themselves or God?”
Don BergmanPark Township
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letters to the Editor: Consider ringing the bell for Salvation Army
