"Accomodate This," July 13 Soap Box
Letter-writer Thomas Knapp is a libertarian with an intolerance for people who believe in God. Instead of writing about this, he attacks a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (Groff v. DeJoy, Postmaster General) without any knowledge or understanding of it.
Knapp claims that a requirement for employers to accommodate an employee's religion is unconstitutional, violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This argument had validity when Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was first written. In 1972, in response to a court challenge in 1970, Congress amended Title VII to require an employer to "reasonably accommodate ... an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice" unless the employer is "unable" to do so "without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business."
This amendment survived Establishment Clause scrutiny in 1972 and is well established. In Groff, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously clarified the meaning of "undue hardship" in vacating the lower court's judgment and remanding it.
It is hardly an entitlement to ask for reasonable accommodations. Knapp, though, feels entitled to attack an innocent person's beliefs and laws that respect them—laws that also protect Knapp's right to spew claptrap.
KEN UY
Murray
"Capital Offense," July 14 Online News
More poorly constructed, high density housing for the "non affordables" is how I interpret this erudite word salad. How about cleaning up our public parks and disastrous downtown first? And not tear down historic buildings when there is no funding for replacement!?
MANGIABENE801
Via Instagram
You can stack people to the sky but if there's nothing for them to do, they won't stay. And if you stack them to the sky, they will ruin our environment.
Who's winning? Native Salt Lakers already can't afford to live here.
SPACEANDFADERSSLC
Via Instagram
Gentrification, gentrification, blah blah blah gentrification.
JENNIFERKSLC
Via Instagram
I wonder how affordable it will be for the average-Joe citizen to live here and partake of the entertainment venues in the city?
PATRICIA GOURDIN
Via Facebook
Cold Insurrections
How about this recent Russian insurrection?
We applaud Putin's demise with affection.
The neo-Nazi Wagner Group's military coup,
Failed, but dictatorship's ultimate rendezvous?
How about our January Sixth insurrection?
For we believe in democracy with affection.
The MAGA extremist groups failed in their coup,
With Freedom still our precious rendezvous.
Two insurrections which are similar but different,
In totalitarianism it is with ferment.
In democracy it was the vote to prevent,
Both with para-military force malcontent.
Perhaps a lesson in humanity for you and me,
Democracy, if we can keep it, our destiny?
GEORGE KIBILDIS
Sparta, New Jersey
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