Two weeks later the letters and blogs are still rolling in, reacting to my June 23 column, “Disparaging the President is Uncalled for.” Many echoed Terry Maher of Chicago (the letters are edited for space):
“Seeing that you’re so agitated by ‘disparaging’ criticism of the president, could you please forward me all of the columns (there must be dozens, I’m sure) that you wrote decrying the vicious, vile and despicable things that were written and said about President Bush? Thanks, I’ll be over here turning blue from holding my breath.”
Others added to the vitriol: “Yes, Ms. Washington, ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ is how the song goes,” wrote Frank Kalisz of Brookfield. “However, respect is earned, not acquired with a title. This imposter, Barack Obama, Barry Soetoro, or whatever his name is, has not earned one ounce of R-E-S-P-E-C-T! But worst of all, it is people like you, who cannot stand to see a black man fail so miserably that they cannot see the demise of this once great country that he and his cronies have made happen.”
