Editor, Times-Union:

So now the violent threats and pearl clutching has come to light in Kosciusko County. The same Republican extremists who scream about government overreach, and their choice whether or not to get a vaccine or wear a mask while working in or shopping at a private business, or being allowed to have a say in their kids’ education, to the point of parents harassing and threatening teachers and school administrators, now want a private business to not allow a private party to use their venue for a drag show because it goes against their values.

Like Kevin McCarthy said, “Rules for thee … but not for me …” Oh the hypocrisy!

Don’t tell us this is all about “saving the children” either! We’ve seen what goes on in some of these churches (one right here in good ole Kosciusko County in fact) with the leaders abusing the congregation members — not only here but all over the country. If the children are so important to you, what are you doing about gun violence? There was just another school shooting yesterday! But, but ... the second amendment, right? How do you feel about politicians posing in photos with their teenage (and younger) kids holding AR-15s? Is that also grooming? How do you feel about teaching kids sex education?

News flash! Kids are having sex on Saturday nights and going to church on Sunday morning. How do you feel about helping struggling single mothers and victims of rape and abuse? How do you feel about all the book banning going on in Florida under DeSantis and in several other states — like Indiana? It’s not the “Liberal snowflakes” doing the banning and threatening teachers with prosecution for keeping books that have been on shelves for decades — award winning books, classic books, books you yourselves probably read in school. Book banning and burning was carried out by the Nazis in Germany to keep people from thinking for themselves. That ultimately did not turn out so well, did it?

What are all you Republican extremists afraid of anyway? Being replaced by people with more melanin in their skin than you? People who are born loving others of the same sex rubbing off on you? This victim mentality is getting very old for the majority of the country. If you hate your life here in America, instead of threatening and committing violence and making it miserable for the majority of us, please just find someplace where you can bow down to a leader of similar mindset - maybe Russia? Hungary? I hear it’s nice there. Much less diversity.

We hate to break it to some of you, but this country is made up of many religions, many ethnicities, many sexual differences, many colors. If you don’t want to go to a drag show, don’t go. If we don’t want to go to your church on Sunday, we won’t. It’s that simple. Do unto others.

Jeanne Schutz

Winona Lake, via email