Letter: Leave religion out in vetting qualifications

I’m grateful to U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono for her bold voice in the “Me Too” movement and Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings.

But I was alarmed this month at the ease with which she joined U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in an inappropriate portrayal of the Knights of Columbus as extremist during the U.S. District Court confirmation hearing of Brian Buescher of Omaha. The “K of C” is a civic organization, not a cult with brainwashed members.

In 2017, the K of C raised more than $185 million and generated more than 75 million volunteer hours for charitable work. As a staunchly liberal, practicing Catholic myself, I cannot abide the use of a person’s religious affiliation as a means to exclude.

Hirono was as wrong to ask Buescher about resigning his association with the Knights, as she was to assume he embraced a ban on same-sex marriage.

Leave religion out of the conversation when judging a person’s job qualifications and values.

Donna L. Ching

Manoa

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