Woman seeks retraction of intolerance statement

Wyoming News Briefs

Jonathan Gallardo
Posted 5/22/18

Everyone has a right to free speech and equality, even if you’re white, Christian, heterosexual and a legal citizen of the United States of America.

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Woman seeks retraction of intolerance statement

Wyoming News Briefs

Posted

GILLETTE – Everyone has a right to free speech and equality, even if you’re white, Christian, heterosexual and a legal citizen of the United States of America.

That was the message Sara Painter had for the Gillette City Council and Campbell County Commission on Tuesday. She asked Mayor Louise Carter-King and Commission Chairman Mark Christensen to retract a joint statement they made Friday afternoon denouncing intolerance.

The statement issued by the city, county and town of Wright, was a response to a controversial article shared on Facebook by Vicki Kissack, chairwoman of the Campbell County Republican Party.

The article, which was about a bill making its way through the California Legislature, compared gay rights activists to Nazis and Christians to Jews during the Holocaust.

“It looks to me like equality is being withheld in this case by the very Campbell County leaders who issued this statement, basically proclaiming they do not support the rights of Christians to voice their opinions,” Painter told the commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday.

“As citizens, we have all embraced diversity, supported the causes of racial minorities, other religions, alternative lifestyles and we’ve always supported freedom of speech for all,” she said. “Those who are Caucasian, Christian, heterosexual and legal American citizens are also part of that diversity.”

If Campbell County leaders won’t defend the rights of white Christians, she said they’re “guilty of the discrimination and intolerance they have taken a stand against.”

“Unpopular opinions do not equate to hate speech,” she said. “We are not less than the members of Islam or LGBTQ. We are equal.”

Two people spoke up in response to Painter’s comments.

“I”m a Christian, I believe strongly in my savior Jesus Christ,” said Phil Christopherson. “I didn’t see anywhere in (the joint statement) where Christians are to be discriminated against.”

Christopherson is CEO of Energy Capital Economic Development, but said he was speaking as a resident, not a representative of
his organization.

Terry Sjolin thanked the city and county for making the statement, saying “it was important to say.”

“I am also a Christian, and I don’t believe you were attacking my beliefs in any way, shape or form,” she said.

Gillette is “a community where it’s always been live and let live,” Sjolin said. “You live your life, I live mine, and we can be neighbors and friends.”

While discourse and diversity of opinions are important, Christopherson said that “it has to be civil.”

“You have to not only speak, but you have to listen,” he said. “Over the last nine months, I’ve seen a lot of people yelling and shouting but not listening. It’s time to

start listening.”

Christopherson said there are big problems facing Gillette and Campbell County, and its residents can either band together and face those problems, “or we can bury our heads in the sand, continue to fight and disagree and complain amongst each other about minor issues that don’t really matter.”

Commissioner Clark Kissack, who is Vicki Kissack’s husband, agreed with Christopherson.

“There are bigger fish to fry than cherry-picking things off of Facebook and roasting people,” Kissack said.

He said he’s tired of all the fighting that’s going on in the community, adding that there have been attacks from “both sides.”

“For a year and a half, I’ve sat on this board and I feel like I’ve went into a battle every day,” he said. “Our community deserves better
from all of us.”