Published: November 26, 2008 08:41 am      

LETTERS: Nov. 26, 2008

Obama column causes uproar

In response to the commentary of guest columnist Doug Olson, who implies that our next president may be evil incarnate, I’d just like to say ... Wow, that’s an incredible assertion, that Barack Obama just might be the Antichrist. It saddens — and scares — me that you, dear author — and probably others — are so feeble minded as to believe in such a tragically misguided fairytale. It further saddens — and angers — me that my local newspaper would give a forum to an author such as this.

The good news is that if the bar for public discourse is set this low, the rest of us can weigh in with an equally lame counter argument. “I think that Barack Obama should prove to me by his actions as president that he is not the Easter Bunny!”

I’ll be watching to see what, if anything, he does to exceed my expectations.

— Craig MacInnes, Jeffersonville

Reader displeased with Olson’s column

I do not understand why you would print anything like Doug Olson’s recent column about Barack Obama.

The elections are over. The people made their choice. I happen to be one of the majority who are pleased with the outcome.

It is now time for us to have civil discussions in our country. When I talked with people who were not going to vote for Obama, it was very seldom because of issues. It was for nonissues. I heard that he was a Muslim, then a member of a “bad” Christian church, then the Antichrist. Occasionally, someone would be honest with me and say that it was because of his race.

We should now be discussing the issues, and there are many. Should we help the auto industry? Should we close Guantanamo? Should we start working on universal health care? Should we offer another stimulus package?

I want to read opinions about the issues. The piece by Doug Olson sounded like something written by a domestic terrorist. The KKK might not have the power it did at one time, but these false Christians seem to be taking their place.

Please leave these hate articles and letters out of your paper.

— Linda Mitchell, Clarksville



Reader: Olson must like to drink poisoned Kool-Aid

I am positively horrified that The Evening News saw fit to publish the long and nasty column “Obama: the future will tell” by Doug Olson!

First, Barack Obama was supposed to be a Muslim, then when people finally figured out he was a Christian he wasn’t the “right” kind of Christian and now the smiling Mr. Olson actually has the nerve to write that Obama — who hasn’t even taken office — might be the Antichrist. It is obvious Mr. Olson hangs out with those who like to drink poisoned Kool-Aid.

For him to suggest that Obama is the Antichrist on the eve of the Kennedy assassination is so provocative it makes me sick. It is practically an engraved invitation for the truly scary folks out there to attempt a repeat of that terrible event with this new, young president-elect. Letters to the Editor by cranks is one thing, but to elevate this kind of drivel to the level of “columnist” is an affront. It is time for this divisive, unsubstantiated fear-mongering to stop and for The Evening News to attempt true journalism and real editorial writing.

I call on all the decent folks of Jeffersonville to join me in letting Mr. Shea Van Hoy, the editor, know that we want this vile nonsense stopped in our hometown paper.

— Nancy N. Palmquist, Jeffersonville