Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Recent letters about our country and our leaders—mostly the president—have claimed a lack of “moral leadership.” I find this term often misused. If a person was to describe morals without interjecting any religious or cultural ideology, it is simply what the community approves or tolerates.

This is important to understand as we are very diverse in our beliefs, customs, even our ancestry. This diversity shapes how we think; our founders knew this and addressed it in our Constitution. To assume we are of one mind or that you are in a position to judge another is folly.

Many vicious dictators and mass murderers believed they had the moral authority to commit their acts and continue to do so today. Various religions have murdered millions over the millennia, claiming a moral right, with Christianity and Islam being some of the worst offenders.

This is not a condemnation, but rather to illustrate that judging others by your personal stand...