To the editor:

The Kansas House, on March 29, passed legislation that would allow a religious defense to discrimination against gays. The bill is called the Kansas Preservation of Religious Freedom Act.

In many times and in many places, religious beliefs have been cited as justification for bias and discrimination against Jews, blacks, Indians, Muslims, Mexicans, women, the deaf, the physically and developmentally disabled, etc.

Each of us is entitled to our own beliefs. None of us are entitled to impose those beliefs on others.

The proper role of democratic government is to protect all citizens from unjust behavior. Authoritarian societies (e.g., the Soviet Union) write unjust discrimination (read bigotry) into law. Is the state of Kansas en route to becoming an authoritarian society?