Yes to Wallingford's bill

Honorable state Sen. Wayne Wallingford's bill would protect small business owners from being forced to deny their religious identity. Discrimination should not be legal, in any form. To mandate that a business person participate in something which is contrary to their religious beliefs denies their religious identity. For instance, would you force a kosher caterer to serve ham? If so, you would be denying the practice of his Jewish faith, which is discrimination against him.

The question to ask is: Do we value sexual identity over religious identity? When these two deep-seated identities come into conflict, does one party need to give up their identity?   Our country guarantees "freedom of religion," but is that only applicable at certain times and places? If so, does this render the term "religious freedom" meaningless, or can a person be a partial Christian, a partial Jew, etc.?   

Wallingford's bill ensures that both parties have the right to retain their identities free from discrimination and defamation. Businesses would have the right to choose whether to follow profits or to follow their faith, without fear of reprisal in either case.  

Our creed defines who we are, how we live, and the choices we make in every moment of our lives. To disallow faith choices is to deny the most fundamental freedom we have. Yes for freedom. Yes on the Wallingford bill.

ROBYN RAUK, Cape Girardeau