We must respect religious rights, too

I think there has been way too much unnecessary talk about Indiana and the Religious Freedom Act. This should not be blown so out of proportion, and the political cartoon shown on April 3 was also not necessary.

Our country promises religious freedom to its citizens - that is one of our founding rights - and our Founding Fathers and those U.S. citizens who have gone before us would be ashamed to see it attacked.

Religious freedom in the U.S. means much more than just "freedom of worship" - it's being totally free to practice our God-given rights without government's influence. After all, the separation of church and state was formed to protect the religious peoples from the government - not the other way around as it has so often been twisted.

It seems that U.S. citizens currently take religious freedom for granted, or are trying to get rid of it altogether - neither of these are good.

If those in a same-sex relationship wish to obtain a venue, or flowers, or a cake for a ceremony, then they can obtain these things from nonreligious people, and calmly - without discrimination - leave those who have differing views alone, so they can run their businesses without being afraid of losing their very livelihood over a lawsuit for not baking a cake, or providing flowers, or a venue, etc.

The media and some politicians must stop making a fuss about religious people, and calling them "bigots.

If the other side thinks of religious people as intolerant haters, they have not spent enough time with genuine religious people in this country. And there are many; generally, they are infinitely more loving than the media and some politicians makes them out to be, they may just greatly disagree with the way the country is currently headed. Julie Siegel

Lake Zurich