I am writing this letter in response to Tyler Wittman's most recent religious rant. In his Nov. 29 column, Tyler attempted to put a kinder and gentler face on homophobia. It didn't work. I believe his faith-based discrimination is a symptom of a larger and more pressing issue. The issue I am talking about is religious extremism. People like Tyler feel they have a mandate from God to preach, judge and legislate their version of Christian values to the rest of us. It is my opinion that if you truly believe in democracy and freedom, you must accept that people with differing opinions and lifestyles are entitled to equal rights. Those in our society that believe freedom should be conditional based on religious beliefs, skin color or sexual orientation do not truly embrace the principles of Jeffersonian Democracy. They embrace a dangerous and self-serving version of democracy that conveniently empowers them at the expense of those they disagree with. It wasn't until Bush was re-elected on a pro-war and anti-gay platform that I began to see religious extremism as a potential threat to core principles of American society. I hope that all fiscal conservatives and liberals that agree with my assertion stand up, talk back and oppose the political agenda of the religious extremists that have hijacked the Republican Party. Because the future of the American dream is dependent upon the choices we make today.

James C. Carlson

Graduate student

Ecology

Tyler Wittman's recent editorial "Concerning Homosexuality" is a great example of a religious individual's blending of reason or logic with their mystical beliefs to produce loads of meaningless bovine feces.

Those, like Tyler, who accept mystical invention, as he declares, "I believe the Bible is the truth," automatically concede to irrationality that truth is not something you believe in – it is something you perceive with your senses through reason and logic.

Conceding to irrationality allows one to say whatever they please and justify it with their interpretation of a spiritual story. There are those who would say, "My logic tells me the Bible is the truth." Logic is not another way of saying "I thought about it," but rather logic is the art of non-contradictory identification, it's the basis for all of science and our understanding of the world around us.

Those who attempt to blend reason or logic with a mystical invention or faith, will never succeed as their approach is based on non-thinking and ignoring contradictions- what they call believing.

Tyler adheres to science when it comes to understanding homosexuality, yet throws it out the window when it comes to perceiving the truth. The misuse of science, to push someone's religious or political convictions, to control the way people live their lives or force a standard of morality that has no basis in reason is despicable.

Ryan Hurtado

Continuing Education

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