P E R S P E C T I V E : Vo i c e s o f Fa i t h
The Love of God, Shiva, Allah, and
the Buddha Has No Exceptions PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
Glenn D. Magpantay (left), executive director of the National Queer Asian Pacifi c Islander Alliance, with several of the faith leaders from the Asian-American community
who are speaking out against the religious exemptions in the Republican-introduced “Fairness for All” Act.
AN OPEN LETTER
We are delighted that
God’s grace of enlightenment
has come upon
the backers of the “ Fairness
for All” Act , introduced by Republican
members of the US House of
Representatives on December 6. That
they join us in recognizing that we are
all God’s children and deserve to be
protected and receive the same dignity
and respect that we all enjoy under the
law. Too many lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender Asian Americans
have suffered discrimination for simply
being who they are. God, Shiva,
Allah, the Buddha, and Jesus teaches
us that we must strive for justice.
But the love of God, Shiva, Allah,
and the Buddha does not have exceptions.
Likewise, anti-discrimination
laws should not either. While the bill
is a commendable recognition, the
more comprehensive LGBTQ Equality
Act, which has already passed the US
House of Representatives with a bipartisan
majority, would ensure clear and
equal protections from discrimination
for LGBTQ people throughout daily life
while expanding protections for communities
of color, people of faith, and
women.
We look forward to a continuing dialogue
to address these continuing issues
and bring equal protections to all
of our people.
On behalf of Clergy
Rev. Jeanelle N. Ablola, Pine United
Methodist Church, San Francisco, CA
Rev. Israel I. Alvaran, Reconciling Ministries
Network, Oakland, CA
Rev. Paul Cho, First United Methodist
Church of Tucson, AZ
Rev. Dr. Theresa Cho, St. John’s Presbyterian
Church, San Francisco, CA
Rev. Danilo Cortez, Estuary Space,
Los Angeles, CA
Rev. Dr. Kevin Doi, American Baptist,
Diamond Bar, CA
Rev. Vicki Flippin, Pastor, First & Summerfi
eld United Methodist Church,
New Haven, CT
Rev. Dr. Ken Fong, Senior Pastor (retired),
Evergreen Baptist Church of
LA, Rosemead, CA
Rev. Nestor S. Gerente, Wayside United
Methodist Church, Lomita, CA
Rev. John Iwohara, Gardena Buddhist
Church, CA
Rev. Jessica Kawamura, Wahiawa
United Methodist Church, Wahiawa
HI
Rev. Joann Haejong Lee, Associate
Pastor, Calvary Presbyterian Church,
San Francisco, CA
Rev. May Lee, Pastor, Grace Alive Fellowship,
New York, NY
Rev. Irene Pak Lee, Associate Pastor,
Stone Church of Willow Glen, San
Jose, CA
Rev. Saburo Masada, Pastor (ret.),
Presbyterian Church USA, Fresno CA
Rev. Elizabeth Tay McVicker, First
United Methodist Church, Salt Lake
City, UT
Rev. Roger Morimoto, Aldersgate United
Methodist Church, Palo Alto CA
Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche, University
AME Zion, Palo Alto, CA
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, First Presbyterian
Church of Palo Alto, CA
Rev. Charles Ryu, Pastor, St. Paul’s
United Methodist Church, Middletown,
NY
COURTESY OF NQAPIA
Rev. Daniel Seunghyun Cho, Pastor of
HA:N Church UMC, Westchester NY
Rev. Yusei Van, Great River Tendai
Sangha, Washington DC
Rev. Winnie Varghese, Trinity Church
Wall Street, New York, NY
Laity
Dr. Raja Gopal Bhattar, Hindu Offi ciant
and Leadership Consultant, Chicago,
IL
Rev. Laura Mariko Cheifetz, Assistant
Dean, Vanderbilt Divinity School,
Nashville, TN
Administrator Elaine Kaneshiro,
Christ Church of Chicago, IL
Dr. Grace Y. Kao, Center Director, Claremont
School of Theology, CA
Donald L. Hayashi, Sulphur Grove
United Methodist Church, Huber
Heights, OH
Minster Ophelia Hu Kinney, Hope-
GateWay and Reconciling Ministries
Network, Portland, ME
Dr. Liz Lin, Executive Director, Progressive
Asian American Christians,
Ann Arbor, MI
Karen & Glenn Murakami, Faith United
Methodist Church, Torrance, CA
Sarah Ngu, Community Director,
Forefront Brooklyn Church, NY
Serena Poon, Director of Family, Progressive
Asian American Christians,
San Jose, CA
Oneida Chi, Member, Network on Religion
& Justice, San Francisco, CA
Aya Yabe, the Church of St. Paul & St.
Andrew laity, New York, NY
Rev. Thomas Yang, Progressive Asian
American Christians, Seattle, WA
Glenn D. Magpantay, National Queer
Asian Pacifi c Islander Alliance Executive
Director
Victoria Schneps-Yunis
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