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Patience Wearing Thin With Views Of Extremist Columnists

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 18, 2008

I'm afraid that my patience with this newspaper has finally worn so thin that I feel compelled to voice my opinion. Scarcely a day goes by that your publication doesn't print a rant from one of the faithful churchgoers with a pitiful understanding of the Constitution and American history, your primary source for a "liberal" view is extremist Ted Rall, who is so far to the left it's a wonder he isn't whirling counter-clockwise and the remainder of the columnists are hard right.

The straw that broke this camel's back was Doug Patton's Oct. 16 screed, "Intellectual Flyover Country." Mr. Patton illustrates so much of what is wrong with the Republican Party, the party of which I am a registered member. Mr. Patton is correct in that I am "embarrassed" by the current state of my party and the people like him who have hijacked it.

Mr. Patton almost always throws in a smattering of modern rightwing talking points, which consist primarily of condemnations of abortion and homosexuality, using religion as his basis for such outrage. He wails about "defense of life" and "preservation of normal, traditional, monogamous human sexual relationships," citing God as the source of such moral truths.

Newsflash to Mr. Patton: The Bible is chock-full of infanticide, genocide on a massive scale and cruelty (ordered by God, so I guess that's OK) and monogamy is not the norm. While there is Scripture to support persecution of homosexuals, I'm certain that Mr. Patton and others who are of like mind wouldn't want to stone to death mouthy children and those working on the Sabbath. They likely also eat shellfish and wear mixed textiles. This isn't a Chinese menu, Mr. Patton, where you get to choose which abominations unto the Lord you want and reject the rest!

The Republican Party is supposed to be the party of less government intrusion. Mr. Patton and others like him apparently think that what a woman does with her body and what other people do in their bedrooms should be the business of the state. Legislating religiously inspired morality is not the mission of the real GOP; it is firmly in the realm of theocrats. There are currently more than a few theocracies operating in the world. Perhaps Mr. Patton would like to look at those countries (hint: they're in the Middle East) and then consider the road down which he wants to see the United States travel.

It's not one that I or any sane person would care to join him on.

Monica Barry

Brooksville

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