Dear Editor:

Lorie Zapf Candidate for San Diego City Council , District Six obviously has some irrational and neurotic issues to address. Stating to the absurd belief that homosexuality is a sin reminds me of an episode in Lisbon during the time of The Great Voltaire. The citizens of this great city were admonished for their sins by The Catholic Church in creating the great earthquake which destroyed many lives. Why is this candidate concerned about someone’s private sexual orientation? Do we, the citizens of Distinct Six want our government leaders to express such a phobia? What does this woman presumably fear or not accept of our fellow man? I suggest for educational purposes Madame Zapf watch ten reruns of “La Cage Aux Folles.”

Daniel J. Smiechowski

San Diego County Democratic Central Committee

Dear Editor:

I am writing to you in response to the article “Lutherans seeing fallout over gay clergy issue” in your March 04, 2010 issue. As a gay man and a lifelong Lutheran, I was happy to see that issues regarding the Lutheran Church were being covered in the GLT. I am a member of First Lutheran Church in San Diego , located at the corner of Third and Ash. I read through the article hoping to see an interview concerning the positive things that have happened at First Lutheran, but was disappointed to see that our church was not contacted. That would have had such a positive spin on what is happening in the Lutheran Church . First Lutheran has been in San Diego since 1888. In 1989, First Lutheran voted to become a Reconciling In Christ (RIC) congregation. RIC is the Lutheran designation for congregations that open their doors, their hearts and their arms to people of difference – whether that be sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, economic status, color, capabilities, or any difference that separates one from another. In 2009, we celebrated 20 years as an RIC congregation! Throughout those 20 years there were times that our national Lutheran Church did not fully include the GLBT community in their ministry. First Lutheran did not give up and withhold its share of financial support to our local Pacifica Synod of the ELCA, or the national church, during those times. We persevered. I think it is shameful that Lutheran Churches today are doing just that because of decisions made to fully include all Lutherans in the church. First Lutheran Church is a haven for not only the GLBT community, but for all seeking a “church of justice”. I encourage all to attend one of our services on Sunday mornings at 9am or 11am and to visit our website at www.firstlutheransd.org

Chuck Leib

San Diego, CA