Dear Everyone;
The SF Examiner ran an op/ed piece by Anne Applebaum a Washington Post columnist where she thought Muslim women in the US who wear a face veil could be an insult and they should unveil themselves: http://tinyurl.com/y2em2n
I thought this was a little bit over the top and wrote an LTE opposing this viepwoint. The SF Examiner agreed and ran with Libertarian affiliation.
http://www.examiner.com/a-365223~Letters__October_27__2006.html
Letters: October 27, 2006
Veiled freedom
Anne Applebaum’s article [“Does wearing a veil insult us?” Oct. 25] is an unfortunate example of religious intolerance. Plymouth colony was founded in part because of religious intolerance. Mormons ran for their lives because of religious intolerance. Catholics faced numerous societal restrictions because they “obeyed” the pope.
Individuals in America are free to practice their religion because the founding fathers incorporated freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. They specifically stated the government could not abridge this freedom. Sadly, state Superior Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, through various rulings on religion, have imposed de facto abridgements of religion by judicial rulings.
Yet, we must remain a shining beacon to the world on how a diverse nation of religions allows those who have different religions to be different. The Anne Applebaums’ of America must deeply rethink their religious intolerances.
Ron Getty
Chair, Initiatives Committee
Libertarian Party of San Francisco
The City