Testing our tolerance
EDITOR: I can't be the only reader who was skeptical about a recent article in The Press Democrat that proclaimed Sonoma County to be the third most tolerant place in the United States ("County ranked third most tolerant in U.S.," July 17). While we have much to be proud of, clearly there's still a lot of work to do.
Various community activists are planning protests against the future Chick-fil-A on Mendocino Avenue because that company's president, Dan Cathy, thinks gay marriage is wrong ("Anti-gay stance may bit SR Chick-fil-A," Wednesday). I strongly disagree with Cathy's stance, but so what? If we're so extraordinarily tolerant, why should we care what he believes about anything? If, for instance, his company had a demonstrable pattern of anti-gay discrimination in its hiring practices, then I would eagerly join the protesters. However, that's not the issue here.
MARK WARDLAW
Santa Rosa
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