In response to Thomas Shields’ letter (May 10), I will point out that no one can buy a pork tray in a kosher deli. They don’t sell them. The big grocery stores do, however, and they will sell them to whomever wishes to buy them.
If a Christian were to go to the kosher deli and ask for gefilte fish or a knish, would Shields be understanding if the owner refused to sell because he doesn’t sell to Christians?
Misguided Christians ask why would gay persons want to go to a business that doesn’t want to serve them? The situation is analogous to the black sit-ins at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro in the 50s — a beginning to a long and arduous process to provide equality for all people in the simple, everyday living of life in a free America.
At the time of those lunch-counter sit-ins, Republican President Eisenhower expressed his concern, saying that he was “deeply sympathetic with efforts of any group to enjoy the rights … of equality that they are guaranteed by the Constitution …”
I do have a suggestion for businesses that do not wish to sell their products or services to LGBT persons: Put a notice on your sign that states “This is an anti-gay establishment.” Then everyone would know that the proprietors are good, God-fearing Christians who would hate to be punished in the fires of hell for baking a cake for a gay wedding.
John Mitchell, Auburn
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