Cont from pg 1 Help Show Solidarity with Ukraine America is a diverse country with many points of view. I recognize that keeping public schools neutral regarding sex education is the only possible approach in a heterogeneous diverse country. When the state of Florida enacts legislation to keep discussion about sexual orientation out of toddlers' classrooms, I don't see this as anti-LGBTQ or anti-Christian, but pro-freedom. The headline of an opinion piece in USA Today reads "Young people in Florida are being told their sexuality or gender identity is so wrong it can't even be mentioned." No!!! Young people in Florida are being told that they live in a free, diverse country. So, matters of sexuality should be handled by parents at home, and public schools should teach kids how to read and do math. It helps these young people to become responsible adults, respectful of others with different opinions. A number of years ago, I mentioned in a TV interview that I had stayed in hotel that, along with other flags, was flying an LGBTQ rainbow flag. I said that the rainbow flag offended me as a Christian woman as the Confederate flag offends me as a Black woman. My office in Washington was shut down by the tsunami of threatening calls that this comment evoked. And I had to move out of my home because of threats. I didn't say these folks should not be allowed to live as they choose. I said, essentially, that just as hotels have removed the Bibles that we used to find in hotel rooms, this shouldn't be replaced by flying the rainbow flag. I think this is a big factor on why school choice is only promoted on the right. Those on the left are opposed because they know that school choice takes away their platform for promoting their social agenda in public schools. Look at the websites of the two big teachers’ unions — the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. Both promote actively the LGBTQ agenda. The new Florida law was passed to deal with this problem. Public schools should provide a platform to educate children with knowledge and skills to succeed in a free country. Other agendas should be left to parents at home. Star Parker sumers were able to get the images they wanted on stamps instead of the limited choices offered by the agency. Serious trouble began in 2017 when the USPS promulgated regulations forbidding any depiction of religious content. The issue is that the USPS is a federal agency and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act stipulates that the “government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability...” The government can limit an individual’s free exercise rights, but only if there’s a compelling government interest at stake and the limitation is the least restrictive way to advance that interest. Knowing it could never meet that standard, the agency pulled the plug on its Customized Postage program in 2020. Prominent custom postage printer Stamps.com was none too pleased and submitted comments to the Postal Regulatory Commission challenging the decision. The company correctly noted that the customized stamp market is worth at least $15 million per year, which the USPS shares with private stamp sellers. It’s even possible that the USPS is legally obligated to restart the program. Federal code 39 USC §404a prevents the agency from “establishing any rule or regulation (including any standard) the effect of which is to preclude competition or establish the terms of competition unless the Postal Service demonstrates that the regulation does not create an unfair competitive advantage for itself or any entity funded (in whole or in part) by the Postal Service…” The USPS has its own “Picture Permit Indicia program” for producing (limited) custom postage. Ending the privately-run Customized Postage program certainly gives the appearance of creating an “unfair competitive advantage” for the agency. If the USPS were to restart its customized stamp program, it should relax its heavy-handed restrictions on content. The USPS should not put up a fuss if people want to feature an imperiled Kyiv church on their stamps. And, there’s no reason why Borys Grokh’s iconic drawing shouldn’t be mailed around the country (as long as Grokh’s intellectual property rights are respected). By restarting and relaxing the customized postage program, America’s mail carrier can do its part to help Americans show solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Ross Marchand The Center Square The Sun Bay Paper Page 11 March 25, 2022 - March 31, 2022 Cont. from pg 1 SHOW YOUR SUPPORT ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 239-267-4000 Florida Law Is Pro-Freedom, Not Anti-LGBTQ
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA2ODE3