I’m concerned about the attitudes expressed in a recent Letter to the Editor titled “Story About Mormon Church Disappointed.” I am not, nor have I ever been, associated with the Mormon Church. I am, however, an advocate of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech.

Under the guise of tolerance, this is one of the most intolerant letters I’ve ever read. The author of the letter wrote, “It’s time to stop passively accepting belief systems that deny entire segments of the population equality.” The Mormon Church has no more power to deny the population anything than does any other group. If one does not agree with Mormon beliefs, one can simply not be part of the Mormon Church. They should have the right, as does everyone else, to put their beliefs out into the “marketplace” and allow them to be accepted or rejected based on the merits.

The writer also stated, “It’s time to stop accepting belief systems … as simply entitlements of opinion.” But that’s exactly what belief systems are, including the belief system of the writer of the letter. Exactly what would the writer suggest we do to stop entitling people to their opinions? If that logic were followed, the letter writer’s opinions could suffer the same fate.

The writer also resorts to unhelpful labeling and name-calling, saying that the “elite factions” in our society “espouse the doctrines of” (among other things) the “free market system” and “government austerity.” One does not have to be among the “elite” to see that free market systems, although not without problems, have brought more health and prosperity to people than have other system. And one does not have to be an “elite” to simply believe that a government should live within its financial means. Such labeling does nothing to promote healthy discussion.

I have a suggestion. Instead of advocating for suppressing free speech and name-calling on our island, why don’t we agree to disagree with maturity and tolerance?

— Bob Gentzel