IN AARON McCarroll Gallegos’ article "Practicing What We Preach" (January-February 1999), he states, "Not that Christians were responsible for Shepard’s killing."
I beg to disagree. It is a long established fact that silence is assent. Many churches have been grievously silent in the face of a concerted assault on the liberties of those of us who are Queer and Queer and Christian.
J’accuse—every Christian who sits quietly by while Queer people are persecuted and oppressed, and while people who call themselves Christians work with great deliberation and malice aforethought to deprive us of basic civil rights.
J’accuse—every Christian who gives money, time, and energy to a religious organization that works against the inclusion of all people in the reign of God of being enemies of the reign of God and of the good news of God made known in Jesus Christ.
J’accuse—every Christian who deliberately uses such phrases as "lifestyle" (as a description of the lives of people who are tortured, murdered, discriminated against, and harassed from the time they are teen-agers) of contributing to the atmosphere of hatred that not only allows but positively supports acts like the murder of Matthew and the suicide of thousands of young people.
J’accuse—every Christian who says that he or she loves the sinner and hates the sin of egregious duplicity and betrayal of the Good News of God made known in Jesus Christ.
Rev. Leland R. Somers, Vallejo, California
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