Letters to the Editor
-
Um...huh...what?
Wright's unforgivable sin was that he violated our rigid code of national etiquette. Instead of the requisite "God bless America," he said "God damn America." He said 9/11 was a case of chickens coming home to roost. Now we must all furrow our brows and agree that such dreadful words are anathema and that no presidential candidate can ever have been within earshot of them.
Leaving out the "unforgivable sin" rhetoric, damn straight. Am I to understand we did bring 9-11 on ourselves? Is that what Salon in claiming? When did they take up the line of Jerry Falwell? Who in America is responsible? The gays? The hedonists? The capitalists?
I should hope anyone who says "God damn America" or supports such sentiments will never be electable in this country. Freedom of speech is guaranteed, but when the speech is treasonous, the speaker will hopefully not be in possession of America's future.
What I would like is for the dangerous comments of John McCain's spiritual adviser to be treated to equal media scrutiny. Rod Parsely has called Islam a "false religion" and advocated that a confrontation between Christianity and Islam is unavoidable. Isn't that pretty close to (if not in fact) inciting his followers to Holy War? Is this any more tolerable than Wright's message?
Neither pastor should have an influence over a candidate for the Oval Office.