On Pride Day, I took my 10- and 5-year-old granddaughters to the Pride festival downtown. It was loads of fun and a great opportunity to teach my grandkids about equal rights. When we were ready to go home, we were heading to the car when a group of religious zealots accosted us, yelling and screaming and getting into our personal space.
My question is, why are Christians allowed to get away with this? People of no other religion would be allowed to harass people so egregiously. My granddaughters were scared, and my friend finally asked the man to shut up because there were kids with us. Finally, he did shut up, but it took a while.
When I volunteered as an escort at the abortion clinic, I saw the same thing. These people are rude, uncaring liars about everything, and they get right up in your face with their harassment.
Again, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims and Hindus would never be allowed to do this, so why are Christians? The laws clearly allow these people special privileges, and as an agnostic/atheist, I resent this.
If they want to preach, and they have a permit, that’s fine, but they should not be allowed to get inches away from you and yell in your face for long periods of time. It is simply not right, and it often fits the legal definition of domestic terrorism. Too bad it won’t be stopped anytime soon.
PATTI GARNER
Baton Rouge