Editor:

Democracy is not justification for poorly grounded bigotry and discrimination. Open opposition to the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members’ political and financial participation in Proposition 8 has been deemed “misguided,” a “blame game,” “scapegoating,” unfair and simply a reaction because a “decision didn’t go their way.”

At least three columns featured in The Chronicle in the past two weeks have used the political legitimacy of a democratic vote to rebuttal criticism of LDS Church involvement in Proposition 8. Such an argument does not absolve the LDS Church, nor its members, nor anyone in California who actively pursued to support discriminatory legislation based on tenuous arguments.

I disagree with Liz Carlston (“Prop. 8 blame game no use,” Nov. 13)8212;protests designed to invoke reflection and attention to such discriminatory behavior is deliberate, justified and anything but “misguided.”

Valid criticism of Proposition 8 has always centered on equality, which is in no way a certain product of democracy. A common criticism is that Proposition 8 supporters are bigots. Steven Warrick (“LDS Church within its rights to support Prop. 8,” Nov. 12) tried to argue that criticism to be unfair and untrue. His subsequent 13 paragraphs did nothing to disprove the objectivity of that criticism. Bigots wielding political power exist no matter what the form of our political institutions.

Trent Raleigh,
Senior, Economics and Environmental Studies