Imagine a world filled with love and peace

"To my fellow Americans,

Give me your tired, your poor.

Your huddled masses yearning to be free.

The wretched refuse of your teeming shores,

Send these, the homeless, tempest — tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Do you know where these words come from? They are our words written on the Statue of Liberty. These words symbolize who we are and promise those who flee here that they can live free — this includes freedom of religion.

When the issue of happy holidays first appeared I, as a Christian, was outraged. How dare they try to take away my beliefs, my holiday! Slowly my eyes and heart have been opened, mine is not the only religion in my country. But my country guarantees my freedom to follow my religion. It is how our country has and always will, I pray, work.

I think the one thing that was the most powerful argument actually came from a child and was sent to me by a family member who lives in Montana. She said she had gone to her doctor, who told her that her 6-year-old daughter had told a classmate that she didn't believe in Santa Claus because she was Jewish. The other child told her, "I don't believe in Santa Claus either. Am I Jewish?'

Then this morning I was reading the paper and came across two different letters to the editor, one open-hearted and loving, the other close-minded and hateful. Yes, we are a great country, we are the most powerful and most successful, but are we really the most open-minded and most open-hearted if we refuse to acknowledge the presence of other cultures and religions? My religion has taught me to be tolerant, to love my neighbor as myself and judge not lest thee be judged. I am now choosing to follow my religion and my Christianity to wish all a very happy holiday! I would also like to thank Greta Weber for helping me to open my eyes.

Imagine a world of peace and love, that is the world I dream of.

LESLIE APFEL

Sandpoint