Letter to the editor: Polarization hurtful to betterment of America

Polarization hurtful to betterment of America
I wish A.J. Jones had pulled up along my car and asked me my thoughts on President Obama. I would have told him I was happy to have a thoughtful, intelligent and caring man in charge of our country, and that I am happy that the financial abyss we were on the brink of is receding.

I would have pointed out that I feel the “patriot” movement is no such thing that I don’t feel people waving signs depicting our president as an African Medicine man (with “Go Back to Kenya” written on it) or as Hitler is especially patriotic, it seems hateful and counter-productive.

Can’t we just disagree without having to demonize people? I think this new outrage over the federal deficit is disingenuous; under the Republican control of the White House and Congress our federal deficit soared at least $4 trillion. I would point out that Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh are opinion-maker, entertainers not journalists and that to suggest five networks and hundreds of newspapers are somehow in cahoots to mislead the American people is ludicrous.

And as to ACORN, yes, some employees behaved horribly no question but we have seen criminal behavior at financial institutions, universities, and in our Congress. Does that make everyone else associated with those entities also liable? All this polarization is hurtful to the wellbeing of this great country.

Carol Robicheaux
Auburn

Cutting dying life short isn’t new, it’s even Biblical

Pulling the plug on Grandma often comes up in the current rancorous debate over health care reform. But what if Grandma wants the plug pulled? Every Grandma whose moral compass is biblically set should take comfort in knowing that the Bible never condemns a suicide nor anybody assisting a suicide. Consider:

1) Judges 9:53-54 says, “And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head ... to break his scull. Then he called hastily unto his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.”

2) I Samuel 31:3-5 says in part, “And the battle went sore against Saul, and ... he was sore wounded. Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through. But his armourbearer would not ... Therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it.”

3) II Samuel 1:6-19 says in part that a certain Amalekite, with Saul in the aforementioned battle, answered Saul’s plea for death and, while standing upon him, slew him.

4) I Kings 16:18 says, “And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and died;

5) Matthew 27:5 says of Judas, “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

Although guilty of various specified sins, the Bible does not blame Zimri and Judas for their suicides.

Those espousing the dubious idea that life is a gift should be reminded that gifts can be returned.

Delos B. McKown
Auburn