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Moral America

January 25, 2005

All my life, I have looked at the double standard with righteous suspicion. Say, double lie? If I said anything or asked a question, from those I thought ''ought to know,'' I was rebuked, such as, ''It's just human,'' sort of like boys will be boys? I never liked that one, either.

At my age, lots of living, observing and research/reading. I have delegated myself as an ''ought to know'' person.

I say: Society has reached its peak as the Golden Age of Hypocrisy.

The reason I thought about this, I ran across the following letter, which I wanted to share:

''All I can say is, thank God the Republicans saved us from the gays. Like millions of Americans, I was terrified that they were going to take over our churches, our chapels, our very souls, if we didn't squash them like bugs. Thank God for fearless, moral men like Karl Rove, who masterfully fueled fears to defend us from millions of those evil gays. Thank God I finally can say I live in a moral America, despite the unemployment, the huge deficit, the unaffordable health care, the stream of body bags from Iraq. We're safe from the gays now, thank God, and that's all that matters, isn't it?''

Barbara Eldred
Brownwood

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If God sent us Bush, is it truly a blessing?

January 25, 2005

Watching the presidential inauguration, I was surprised to hear several religious friends (with great reverence in their voices) make this remark: ''God has placed President Bush in the White House.'' I was confused. I had assumed Mr. Bush was placed there by voters who share his vision of how to increase world peace. My curiosity, therefore, was aroused. So I bought a Bible. It was not an inexpensive Bible, but it did contain what's called a ''concordance.'' Checking this topical index, I discovered some impressive facts. If a person believes in the God of the Bible, he can easily conceive that this Supernatural Being has, in fact, placed our leader in the Capitol. When the Lord wishes to shame a nation, I discovered, he sends it a ruler of childlike incompetence (Isaiah 3:4). When the Lord wishes to chastise a nation, I found, he sends it a ruler who vainly surrounds himself with flatterers (I Kings 22:1-6), with people willing to violate established law in order to fulfill their chief's egotistical impulses (I Kings 21:1-19). Don't misunderstand me. I don't necessarily share my religious friends' confidence that our President is a God-sent ruler. But I suppose it's possible.


Steve Weathers
Abilene

Get serious

January 25, 2005

I am absolutely fed up with the Iraqi young people who are so happy with every instance of injury and death to our troops and the troops of the coalition that they jump, shout and wave their arms like the crazy people they are.

It is high time we stop this failed business of trying to ''win the hearts and minds'' of these particular people and start turning them into garbage, which is what they are. It is past time that we turn all the firepower we have directly into the demonstrating crowds. We won't need to do this very many times before these poor excuses for humanity cease this cowardly demonstration of their lack of respect.

And, another thing: Let's skip sending many more combat troops into Iraq. We just need to pour through troubled areas with all the firepower we have. Let's let them know they cannot show anything, but abject respect for our troops. If they raise their arms or their voices, shoot them. If they bring a firearm into a mosque, blow it to hell. And, if they even look bad, shoot them. This business of trying to be ''Mr. Nice Guy'' has produced way too many body bags. It's time to let them know we mean business!

Wm. G. Cook
Early

source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/opinion/0,1874,ABIL_7985,00.html