Letter to the Editor: Equal rights in spite of traditional values

Mr. Lewinsky mentions “traditional values” as if these values are worthy of respect in his letter to the editor titled “Times that try men’s souls” published November 23.

Frankly, a large portion of these traditional American values are horribly repressive and anathema to a free society.

What he characterizes as “LGBT assaults on traditional values” are merely the attempt for LGBT citizens to be treated as human beings with equal rights. 100 years ago in this country, women weren’t allowed to vote. Why? Because it was a tradition. 150 years ago, black people were bought and sold as property, another “fine” American tradition. After the American South was forced (at the cost of 700,000 soldiers’ lives) to end the abhorrent practice of slavery, they instituted systematic oppression in the form of Jim Crow laws, which were another instance of American “traditional values.”

In fact, this tradition of racism is still celebrated by many Americans who trumpet the Confederacy under the guise of “heritage.”

Traditional values in this country have time and time again been used by the powerful to prevent women and minorities from receiving equal status under the law. That’s definitely an American tradition, but it’s not one I’m proud of. Luckily for the targets of this oppression, this pathological desire to fetishize “tradition” is slowly dying out, but I refuse to accept the characterization of equal rights as an “assault” on anything but bigotry.

Treating others as equals is not a bad thing; the fact that it’s not a “traditional” American value doesn’t make me question its virtue – it makes me sad that our predecessors weren’t better people.

I, for one, would like to see a country in which everyone can enjoy equal protection under the law.

Mike Mundy
Ferdinand, Ind.