Letters choices belie support for diversity

Having been a practicing member for many years of the Soka Gakkai International, a lay Buddhist organization which promotes world peace, cultural exchange, non-violence, education, and which strongly promotes diversity as well, I was gratified to see a prominent Chicago newspaper use its opinion column as the Herald did Aug. 19 to publicly endorse statewide diversity, supporting the need for leaders of local Illinois governments who originate from diverse backgrounds.

I have personally though been dismayed, given the Herald's endorsement also of gay marriage in Illinois, regarding the number of letters printed in the "Your Views" column over the past couple of years that denigrate gay citizens as being somehow inherently immoral and in some sense, second class. I am strongly in support of the freedom of speech on both the part of the Herald and indivdually of letter contributors, yet perhaps a more positive editorial choice could have been made than the Aug. 9, 2015 letter entitled "Too much of the bizarre in the news" which depicts "transgender priests and homosexual couples" as inherently "bizarre."

It is as school children lacking experience when we insist on being alike in order to better feel comfortable with ourselves; but it is as adults that we expand beyond ourselves and learn to honor one another, knowing with experience that we will as humans forever be different from one another.

It is commendable that the Herald used its opinion space not only to support diversity but to educate the public as to the laudable efforts made by areas such as Elgin and Naperville to celebrate the differences among cultures, lifestyles and people within their communities. But to be of further value, it may be proper for the Herald to inform the public what it means by diversity when it publicly supports it.

John F. Page

Libertyville