A Plea to President Obama in Light of the Giglio Situation and What it Means to be an American

Wow. This is well said.

Gabe Lyons:

Freedom to speak your mind and live by your convictions—a person’s freedom of conscience—is the first, most fundamental, American right. James Madison believed strongly in the freedom of conscience, even claiming, “This right is in its nature an unalienable right” in his Memorial and Remonstrance written in 1785. Maintaining and defending “freedom of conscience” protects every citizen from being coerced, cajoled, intimidated or bullied into taking a point of view that goes against their deepest convictions.

It’s a sad day in America when that right is up for debate.

Mr. President, in a contentious moment in America’s court of public opinion, you must lead. Please use the bully pulpit to educate Americans on how true liberty ought to play out in a pluralistic society. You’ve got the ear of gay activists, now use it to call a truce. Take two minutes and step in front of the White House press corps and put a stop to this nonsense.

Remind all activists—gay and straight, male and female, union and non-union—that freedom of conscience, freedom of expression isn’t just some right. It is our first right.

And a pastor who once gave a sermon expressing his biblically based belief that homosexuality isn’t condoned does not deserve scorn.

The LGBTQ movement, which equates itself with the Civil Rights movement of the 60s, can learn a lesson from Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday we are about to commemorate. King never lashed out at his opponents. He famously urged those around him to use only “the weapons of love.”

Mr. President, please remind the leaders and activists in the LGBT community of that truth. You alone can do it. It may not be a “Lincoln moment” but it would be a “King moment” and that’s not such a bad thing.

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Books by Gabe Lyons can be found here.