Commission owes an apology
By canceling a reception with Israeli gay leaders, the Seattle LGBT Commission has done a great disservice to Seattle’s gay community and to our reputation as a functional, progressive city. [“Gay leaders from Israel snubbed by gay panel,” NWSaturday, March 17.]
Democracies only function when we engage in productive, respectful dialogue — including those with whom we may not fully agree. The Seattle LGBT Commission denies us the opportunity for understanding that it was chartered by our city to foster.
As a gay person of Israeli descent, I see valuable, relevant lessons from Israel’s LGBT movement, which has fostered gay civil liberties in a polarized environment. These lessons are now closed off to us through the LGBT Commission’s apparent placement of ideology over its actual mission.
In turning away dialogue and understanding, the Seattle LGBT Commission has relinquished its ability to credibly represent the diversity of gay people in Seattle — and owes an apology to all of us.
— Eli Goldberg, Seattle
Equally foolish
Today’s article about the Seattle LGBT Commission snubbing members of an Israeli gay delegation over human-rights issues shows gays have indeed achieved political equality. They are acting with equal foolishness as everyone else.
— John Marshall, Hot Springs, Mont.
Article source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/northwestvoices/2017792150_gayisraelilets20.html