What inclusiveness means to me

State Rep. Terra Costa Howard defended her rationale for inviting author Robin Stevenson back to speak in DuPage County, saying, "We are showing the world that our communities embrace the values of honesty, respect and inclusiveness." This blatant, backhanded, stereotyping of persons daring to hold positions differing from our "modern" society as being, "dishonest, disrespectful, and exclusionist" underscores a real problem that permeates our social, political and business cultures.

We have become a society that believes there is no "absolute truth" (which ironically is an "absolute" truth), whatever you believe to be right is right, and God forbid anyone dare to respectfully and honesty convey a contrary view, let alone try to convert others to understand and accept these beliefs as truth. We are encouraged, almost forced, to keep our beliefs to ourselves with any form of "discipleship" viewed as infringing or overstepping.

My personal position against abortion and a homosexual lifestyle transcend my religious beliefs as they are also rooted in a natural law. Please respect my right to disagree without labeling me a dishonest, noninclusive right-wing extremist. We cannot pray or talk about Jesus in our public schools, but we are passing laws requiring schools to highlight roles and contributions of LGBTQ people in our American history and culture. I accept others will not share my beliefs and will want to defend their positions.

I listen to them, I respect them, I love them, and I pray for them, as I try to do for all I encounter. However, I do not want my tax dollars going to support abortions and reconstructing our public schools to provide transgender bathrooms, and I will campaign and vote against those politicians who do. This is my right as an American citizen. This is what inclusiveness means to me.

Vincent J. Heaton Jr.

Wheaton