To the editor:

Two weeks ago, after reading an article in the Des Moines Register on a gay student’s struggle to get sexual orientation added to his school’s anti-harassment policy, I wrote a letter to the editor of that esteemed publication.

My letter ran a week later (April 17), sitting quietly on the opinion page. I know that the Register publishes names and addresses, but I didn’t actually think that my letter was worthy of any attention.

I was wrong.

A few days later I discovered two pieces of mail in my mailbox.

One was from a very kind lady who told me of her “own precious son” who died of AIDS-related complications. She told me that “[he] was a wonderful, compassionate, thoughtful person,” and said that, “everything else is unimportant.”

I agreed with her completely. I felt for her loss of someone very special and was glad that at least one person appreciated my thoughts. I may write back to her, to tell her thank you.

The other piece of mail wasn’t kind, or caring, or anything of that sort.

It was a small envelope without a return address. Inside was some Christian propaganda with underlined passages that were most likely intended to point out the “errors” in my judgment.

All three pamphlets contained in the envelope were from the Gospel Tract Society, Inc., in Independence, Mo. I decided to give the anonymous Christian who sent this to me a chance, and read through the material. From what I gather, I need to be saved. Whatever.

Now again today I found two letters in my mailbox. Again, they were sent anonymously, and again they were filled with propaganda. Apparently supporting equal rights for all people in the Land of the Free is a sin.

The first letter I opened had a bunch of stuff about God and salvation. It was full of Bible study questions, things to think about, God’s plan for me, etc. Nothing about homosexuality being evil, just lots of stuff about being saved by Jesus.

“How nice,” I thought, “they care about my eternal soul.” It’s nice to know they care.

The other one, though, just made me angry. It was a printout of the main page of Fred Phelps’ Web site.

I have something to say about that: Never throw a hatemonger such as Phelps up at me; you won’t convince me of anything except your own inability to love your neighbor, as your God commanded.

On the front was a handwritten note. “Dear Steven,” it read, “God knew homosexuality is a part of life that’s why he told us not to do it and wrote the scriptures.”

Gee, I guess I never thought of it that way. Mayhap because it’s total bullshit.

I have two things to say to these so-called Christians who wish to point out the error of my ways.

First, didn’t the God that you claim to love so much teach about unconditional love and forgiveness?

I was raised a Catholic, and I was taught as a child that God loved everybody, no matter what, and that nothing could break his love. We could make him sad by not listening to him and by sinning, but he would never stop loving us.

Have you hate-filled people forgotten this?

Second, don’t you have the courage to put a name to your letters? As much as I dislike Phelps, at least he has the courage to stand up and put his name and face to his hate.

Though I think that Tim Kelley is nuts, at least he puts his name to his letters, so that we can respond. These cowards send me letters but won’t put even their return address on the envelope.

Hiding behind a cloak of anonymity discredits anything they might have to say.

Steve Block

Freshman

Mechanical engineering