Who are the real hate mongers?

Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as originally signed into law by Gov. Pence merely stipulated that a person's religious convictions can only be burdened by the language of a hereinafter-enacted Indiana law if there is a "compelling government interest" served by doing so and only if the manner stipulated for furthering that interest is the "least restrictive" that can be found.

In other words, the person of conscience must find some capacity to remain true to his beliefs among the options open to him for complying with the perceived "compelling government interest" served by a particular law.

Indiana's law was an attempt, as in some 20 other states, to ensure the same safeguards against encroachments on religious liberty that were incorporated in the federal RFRA statute passed in 1993.

No person has the right to use the law to force another person to think and act as he himself decides is politically correct or else face character assassination by activist mobs, fines, or the loss of his or her livelihood.

Yet this is where we are today.

Bakers, florists, photographers, caterers - none hateful toward any gay patron - are being vilified by mobs and in the mainstream press simply because their belief in traditional marriage makes them unable in good conscience to offer their services in gay marriage celebrations.

The offense of each business owner has been the audacity of their personal unwillingness to endorse homosexual marriage, not any resulting harm caused. No wedding ceremonies have been compromised by the fact that these vendors chose not to be involved.

Indeed, abundant alternative vendors for every needed service have been available.

Hate mongers? Bigots? I ask you in these instances to whom do these labels apply? To the business owners living by their consciences or to the social activists?

Len Meyer

Hoffman Estates