LETTER: Discrimination is a sin

Cameron A. Mumford

To the editor:

I first acknowledge that yes, indeed, the letter-to-the-editor section of The Utah Statesman is as you say it, “Opinions not from Utah Statesman staff, but from a wide variety of members of the campus community who have strong opinions.” However, I was extremely disgusted with the letter-to-the-editor article, “Homosexuality is a sin.”

I have written several letters to the editor in response to several articles in The Utah Statesman, but have not been ever published. So I am not only disgusted and offended that one of the letters to the editor published would be such a disgusting, offensive and rude article on homosexuality.

This article reminded me of Nazi Germany in their campaign that being a Jew was a sin. I am a heterosexual who is very religious, but to openly publish an article that contains phrases such as “Gay pride is a filthy sin that finds refuge in atheism and intolerance” disturbs me. Your personal ethics may deem this phrase is a fact, but there is a lot of anti-Mormon material, specifically historical events, that are based on fact, that although do not nullify The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, still cause discomfort and pain in us.

I venture to say the comparisons are the same. We do not want other people to share information they feel is fact in an open and discriminatory fashion, and we should reflect. There are plenty of good ways to promote heterosexuality and stand up for the sanctity of marriage.

I just feel that publishing an article that discriminates, talks down to and otherwise expresses an opinion that is purposed to offend should not be used in a good establishment such as USU. You too, Mr. Jarvis, would be offended if I wrote an article about the Mountain Meadow Massacre or African-Americans for over a century being denied the opportunity to have an eternal family.

– Cameron A. Mumford