My friend just came back from defending our country on her second tour of duty in the Iraq war. She risked her life to fight for everyone’s freedom, including gays and lesbians. She safely returned home to seek solace on the loss of her fallen comrades.

She entered the Catholic church only to hear a message that would exclude a minority the basic freedom to marry whomever they love. She was saddened when she left and asked herself: What happened to the separation of church and state?

People can find anything they want in the Bible: that it’s OK to sacrifice a child, own slaves, have more than one wife, and a sin to eat shellfish. Such people pick and choose what they want when it’s convenient to them, and yet those doctrines change over time.

Why, all of a sudden, is the church so involved in a local political issue? Is this a way to divert attention from their recent bad behavior in regards to children being sexually abused by priests?

America is a diverse country with people from many backgrounds and viewpoints. Laws should not be based on anyone’s faith or religious view. Laws should be based on fairness to all Americans. Do we want to become a society like the ones our soldiers are fighting against?

Leah Bartley, Lewiston