An open Letter to U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett
Dear Congressman Barrett,
Please vote against HR 59. It is an unprecedented governmental attack on religious freedom in the United States of America. It is also a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment separation of church and state clause.
The resolution falsely claims that Right Rev. Bishop Mariann Budde “promot[ed] political bias instead of advocating the full counsel of biblical teaching.”
She preached exactly what Jesus taught, the second part of the Greatest Commandment: “love your neighbor” (Matthew 22:39). Her sentiments have subsequently been echoed by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church USA, the Roman Catholic Pope, the United States Catholic Conference, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association, in other words denominations across the political spectrum.
As a person of faith and a patriotic American, I am compelled to protect the freedom of religion in our already great country.
Thank you,
Rev. Dr. Vilius Rudra Dundzila
Community Unitarian Universalists of Brighton
Thank you, Rev. Dundzila, for your letter to Rep. Barrett. Right Rev. Bishop Budde’s words addressed to Pres. Trump were timely and courageous. Her words clearly were neither partisan or politic– unless one is to interpret an appeal for human compassion in the narrowest and most impoverished of terms, as an exercise in political expression. If the case, then it begs the question: When elected officials extend sympathies to families suffering from school shootings and natural disasters, are they expressing partisan remarks and political positions? Another dangerous proposed bill, HR 569, seeks to reclassify “certain classes” and invalidate their birthright citizenship. HR 569 is a direct violation of the 14th Amendment and thus unconstitutional. It should die in committee. Will it? Every person who respects and values the Constitution needs to speak up and remind elected officials of their sworn duty to uphold and defend our Constitution and hold each and every one of them to their binding oath of office.