To the Editor: Re “We Can Find Common Ground on Gay Rights and Religious Liberty,” by Jonathan Rauch and Peter Wehner (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, June 22): Now that L.G.B.T.Q.
workers cannot be fired simply because of who we are, Mr. Rauch and Mr. Wehner claim that Congress must pass “new safeguards” for those who seek exemptions from the nondiscrimination law based on religion.
True, there is tension between our country’s promise of equality and some religious beliefs. But that conflict is not new, and the solution to it already exists.
When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned race discrimination, some business owners objected. The law included religious exemptions in some contexts, but not for public-facing businesses like restaurants.