GREAT EDITORIAL FROM THE JOURNAL

Sowing seeds of tolerance
By Journal Editorial Board Thursday, February 21, 2008

Thank you to the Rapid City Journal for the great editorial.

"Asking high school age kids to look closely at the seeds of violence and the consequences of hatred should be encouraged by our educational system, not discouraged."

We agree wholeheartedly! Why is asking everyone to respect and get along with one another such a radical concept? I thought it was the basis of Christian ethics.

Yesterday, Don Wandler had a letter to the editor in which he chastised the school, the community, parents and everyone else for allowing "The Laramie Project" to be performed. Once again Mr. Wandler ignores the realities of intolerance and hides behind the rhetoric and spin of the right wing fundamentalists whose only goal is to promote their agenda of hatred and intolerance for power and profit. Mr Wandler seems to think he knows more than the judge, jury and the law enforcement people who handled this case. All of whom agreed it was a hate crime of the highest order.

But then we have heard from Mr. Wandler before. Readers may recall that after our Pride Festival last year a letter was sent to all those businesses that supported us, threatening them with a boycott for supporting the LGBT community. He claimed to represent an organization called Concerned Citizens of Rapid City. Turns out he was the only member.

All Mr. Wandler succeeded in doing was to expose himself as an intolerant bully who would use threats and intimidation to try to isolate and silence the LGBT community. Thank goodness he failed miserably.

What most people probably haven't remembered about Mr. Wandler is that he also appeared in the Journal on another topic. His picture was featured in the story about the Catholic Church having a latin mass. He was all for retaining the latin mass because it was more contemplative. Meaning he didn't have to go outside his own thoughts, prejudices, hatred and judgemental existance. He might have to learn something different and grow in his understanding of what Christian Love is all about. He might have to confront himself!

Christianity was not meant to get stuck in the sixth century.

Hope to see everyone at the play this week! Thank you to Justin Speck and to the students, parents and community members ot the "Advocates for Creative Theater Students" for producing and performing this play. I can't wait to see it.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT TIME IN GREECE!!