Is this letter for real? Utahans frighten me.

I am continually amazed of the letters the Deseret News chooses to print.

Please tell me on what basis the author believe that Obama believes in Black superiority?

What is the basis for this claim?

I am disgusted that people think they can question other people's patriotism. Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they "hate" America. That's a very disgusting, ugly, unChrist-like behavior and it sickens me. You should be ashamed.

You have opened a can of worms.

I am sure you are probably one that complained about Romney being picked on for being a Mormon.

Barack is anti-American? Where do you get this nonsense? McCain is pro-American? This man continues to think the economy is fine when in fact just yesterday unemployment rose to an all-time high and we lost another 650,000 jobs, and all McCain can say is that the economy is fine and anyone who says otherwise is a whiner? Is that pro-American? McCain has voted time and time again for measures that cut funding to our veterans, is that pro-American? Is that supporting our troops like he says he does at the RNC? He wants to ban abortion 100% even in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother? It is a proven fact that the current administration has failed this country but he has voted 90% of the time with that administration? Do we dare trust him 10%? I think not! It's time for fresh blood and a risk! We need change! All this crap about Barack's church is nothing more than scare tactics to keep the focus away from the real issues at hand! Believe those lies and your foolish! 4 years of McCain/Palin would be utter disaster!

Yes, because Obama was raised by a single mom and lived much of his childhood in Hawaii and Jakarta, he really isn't American enough! He was exposed to multi-cultural experiences that NO true American would ever have and clearly will not serve him well in this ever increasing multi-cultural, globalized political world that we live in. We don't need a leader who understands other peoples' perspectives, whether they are Blacks in our own nation or Islamic peoples abroad. We don't need someone who lifted himself up from lower-middle class standings on scholarships and intelligence to become a Columbia professor of Constitution law, edit academic journals, etc. No! We need Palin who totes a gun and eat moose burgers! Yes, let's go for someone from frontier, small-town America with a modest education who knows white people and conservative Christian values only. To heck with inter-racial understandings and multi-cultural awareness and sensitivities.

It's odd to find people in Utah who fail to appreciate the horrors of slavery. Blacks where subjected to every demeaning treatment possible for hundreds of years and it's no wonder that they might hold a bit of a grudge. I still hear people in this valley talk about injustices that were inflicted on their ancestors for a couple of decades, over 150 years ago, and they still haven't gotten over it. Just a little bit of empathy, please.

Stop listening to the neo-conservative lies and spin, and vote for Obama. He personifies the American dream.

Wow!

I read about people like you in my history books. I thought most of you had died off in the 50s but apparently some of you still roam the planet.

You are a racist; probably not overtly but one none the less. I don't know your religion; I hope you are not Mormon, but you probably are. I'll bet you are one of those who pass on e-mails full of lies and half-truths about Senator Obama to your other ward members.

What is ironic is that the same things are said by the 90 million evangelicals about Mormons and our history; that we are strange and un-American, yet closed minded people of your ilk embrase them and cling to their political philosophy of hate. Why?

Going to church on Sunday and listening to dim-wits like you is the most faith challenging aspect of my life. Fortunately, when we all get to heaven, you won't be there!

You mean like having an inability to distinguish between Sunni and Shia?

OOPS...that was McCain

You mean not realizing that Yugoslavia is no longer a country?

OOPS....that was McCain too.

You must mean getting misleading information about Georgia from Wikipedia and a junior aide.

OOPS....no that was McCain as well.

But I agree with you on the whole church thing. I wouldn't want a leader who believes that the invasion of Iraq was a calling from God and who prays at a church that believes that homosexuality can be cured through prayer.

Oh...wait....that was Palin.

I guess you were just wrong on all accounts.

To suggest that Obama is a "black supremacist" is ridiculous. Then you have McCain, who has no religion but politics and plagiarizes sappy stories about Christian prison guards. Does he expect us to believe that drizzle?

One of Obama's many goals is to make other black Americans move on as well. The problems is that we still have some injustices to right before they will all do so. He has also been critical of the lack of values in black communities.
Both of these lessons are valuable to other Americans as well.
Obama is much more American than his opponents. McCain supports the executive branch power grab that occurred under Bush. Palin supports the teaching of Intelligent Design as science though the courts have already determined that it is not science but an adaptation of Creation Science to the reality of the Edwards v. Aguillard decision. It also appears that Palin has had an interest in censoring books. McCain simply has an interest in following his party line to limit personal freedoms and shockingly supports our governments policy of torture.
I'm not to worried about the views espoused in Obama's church as they are not views he has personally espoused. McCain and Palin however have personally espoused beliefs that concern me.

John McCain has shown his ignorance of foreign affairs many times. He apparently doesn't know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites. He also forgot that Checkoslavakia split into two countries many years ago. Remember too, most Republicans thought that Mitt Romney's membership in a what they termed to be a religious cult disqualified him to be president.

Racist, just plain racist! The only thing missins is the white hood!

I guess it depends what kind of american you are.
If you like the fact the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer, or if you belive that america stands for the killing of women and children and if you like and stand behind Baby bush's policies.
Then yes maybe Obama might be anti-your type of americanism.

I'm not sure I would have worded this letter exactly the same way the writer did, but she has a good point. Barak Obama's patriotism and associations with people, who might reasonably be considered enemies of the United States, is questionable at best.

I am freaking embarrased! First that anyone would write such a letter, and second that the Des News would print it!

This is ignorant nonsense and an insult.

Religion has no business in politics. And, you've way overstated the real impact it has on people on a day to day basis. How much of what you claim has happened in this murky religioius past has been brought forward by Obama in speeches or policy? You're not going to vote for him. Fine. But there must be more compelling reasons than you've offered here.

Shirley, as soon as we can adequately explain some of the outright racist, sexist, and crazy things past LDS church leaders have said, then we can stand on a soapbox. But until then...

That letter was as close to racist as you can get. I am disgusted that the NEW would print it. Jason and Oh Shirley hit it right on the head! Horrible letter, horrible! Oh Did I mention? McCain was a prisoner of war! just in case he hadn't mentioned it...

I believe the real American thing to do in this cast would be to look back at the last eight years and not want to continue the down hill slide.

Actions that help us count. Hatefull false words help nobody.

A different view point | 1:33 a.m. ----

"Please tell me on what basis the author believes that Obama believes in Black superiority?"

Some better questions are:

Why are 90% of blacks voting for the black candidate if they are not racist?

And why is Oprah refusing to have Palin on her talk show... until after the elections... when she has had B. Hussein Osama on at least two times?

And why has B. Hussein Osama been on the front of Time magazine seven times and McCain only once or twice?

What a crock!

If Barack Obama is anti-American, then I must be anti-American also.

Let's get real and look at the issues and not repeat ad infinitum the wingnut talking points.

Perhaps we might consider Shirley Larsen to be anti-American for her strident language and obvious intolerance and bigotry.

This whole "personality" debate is infantile in the context of much more important needs of the American people. The letter writer would probably voice similar objections towards any candidate not showing the Republican label.

Anti-American? What nonsense!

Sounds like Shirley has her dial turned RushOhannity 24X7. I just can't imagine another 8 years of what we have experience since 2000. ANY change will be better than another 8 years of the same rhetoric. Shirley, turn off your radio and watch Lawrence Welk instead.

@ Liberal Larry,

My ancestors crawled on hands and knees through the coal mines in England for centuries and lived in hovels with little food, scant clothing and no medical care. Are you outraged about their treatment? Do you demand that England find a way to repay me for the suffering of my ancestors?

My Great Grandfather didn't wallow in self-pity and didn't allow himself to be hungup on the treatment that he had received and that his ancestors received. As soon as he was free of those that oppressed him, he worked his heart out in America to make things better for his family.

Legal slavery in America existed between 1654 and 1865, or 211 years. Slavery still exists in Africa and has existed for thousands of years.

Minority groups in America have had MORE opportunity to get ahead than non-minority groups, and yet there are those that will not be satisfied until only the minorities have jobs and only the minorities hold public office. Mr. Obama's closest associates hold those views.

TO Robert Johnson: Come on! Do you remember when Obama announced that he had campaigned in "57 states?" Do you remember when he announced Joe Biden as the next "President of the United States?"

This is silly. Anyone can misspeak. It happens all the time with everyone. Let's stop these silly, junior-high attacks on candidates. Stick with issues that are legitimate.

If you don't want to vote for John McCain, that's you right. But, stop making such sophomoric comments.

As a former Utahn I continue to be horrified at the biggoted, hate-filled politics of your state. How anyone can look at today's economy, the USA's standing in the world and think the Republicans deserve another four years at the helm baffles me!

Des News...you should be more careful with the things you publish. This is shameful.

With traceable heritage to the Mayflower, I am amazed that people claim the rights to the term "true American" when, in fact, they are neither American Indian nor of Mexican heritage -- either of whom could claim true "American" status. Please recognize everyone thereafter is a Johnny-Come-Lately!

Cats,
Misspeaking and not knowing are two different things. McCain has made the "Sunni/Shia" mistake several times even AFTER he'd been corrected. He has spoken of defending "Czechoslovakia" several times even AFTER it had been pointed out to him. McCain doesn't simply misspeak. He either doesn't know what he is talking about or he's forgotten.

I only wish my vote in Utah wasn't cancelled out by crazies like the letter writer.

Barack Obama should, in many ways, be the perfect African-American candidate for white Utahans. Outstanding education. Leads a traditional family. No scandals. White folks throughout his campaign organization. Experience living in both heavily white (Kansas) and mixed race areas. Christian for two full decades. No quotes that could be remotely considered anti-white or anti-Mormon, unlike the GOP.
Does he want black votes? Don't all candidates? Does he "control" Oprah OR the news magazines? Not possible. I think, though, that I can pinpoint the moment of Shirley's "concerns". That would have been the first time she heard his name, saw his picture, and found out he is NOT a Republican. That's the "concern" trifecta, and nothing else matters much in Shirley's crowd.

Jeremiah Wright was Obama's GOOD FRIEND and SPIRITUAL ADVISOR for 20 years. Is it unreasonable to believe that Obama shares some of his views. I couldn't sit for 5 minutes in a church where the preacher said this:

"The government gives them [African Americans] the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

After September 11, 2001, he said: "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back into our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."

"Barack knows what it means to be a black man living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people."

Bill Clinton "did the same thing to us that he did to Monica Lewinsky."

Well if you spend your time listening to garbage you are bound to believe the garbage. Such is the effect of Limbo/Reils/Hans. They spew hate and fear, they LIE, and then occasionally provide a nugget of truth that hits home. They do the later often enough to allow listeners to justify continuing to listen and not question.

The letter writter clearly knows nothing of hope for McBush provides none, but she has plenty of fear for an unknown she is told to hate.

Sad part of it all is that Shirley is probably in the bottom 95% and thus would likely see much more improvement in her life from Obama, if she just wasn't so afraid of "B. Hussein Osama, oh I meant Obama" Quote from just about any Fox news political broadcast.

Sarah Palin shines as the beauty queen she once was and the Republican star she has become.

But she is not the match to Barack Obama in intellectual gift and dedication to public service. In that context, his star shines far more brightly, like that beacon that guides the ship to a safe harbor.

It's hard to get more "American" than Senator Barack Obama.

Son of an immigrant from another continent and a Kansan. Not born to privilege, but he was smart and worked hard and ended up in the most prestigious law school in the country, and editor of its law review to boot. Becomes a community organizer to help others. Eventually gets elected to a public office and, at a relatively young age, actually gets elected to be a U.S. Senator of a large mid-Western state. And as if that were not consistent enough with the proto-typical American dream-- becomes candidate for President of the United States.

The American Dream.

That's America. That's only America.

I am immensely proud of this country, and we should all be celebrating.

JStein,
Those quotes really aren't that out of line. Did our chickens come home to roost on 9/11? Sure. Did innocent people deserve to die? Absolutely not. However, we should not act like our government isn't partly to blame for 9/11. We didn't get Bin Laden earlier. Blame Clinton. We didn't heed warnings that summer. Blame Bush and Rice. We set up the Middle East in general, and Bin Laden specifically, over many years. These are the acts most deserving of blame and that blame should be spread out over many Presidents. Our failed policies are indirectly to blame for 9/11. A madman and his religious zealots are directly to blame. We haven't done enough about them and we haven't done enough about changing our policies that both began this process and allowed success on 9/11. This is why we need change.

Some of the comments, especially the ones filled with hateful, personal attacks, sicken me.

Whether you agree with the original comment or not, It's because we're American that the Deseret News printed it. For the same reason, everyone here is FREE to express their views, whatever they may be.

I don't think there is a single person here who is more American than Shirley. She expressed her Right to Freely speek about something she believes in. Good for her. Freedom to think and say what you feel is as American as it gets.

Oh, and if you'll notice, she said something about "our first black president." Does that sound like someone racist? I don't think so.

But when I read stuff like this it makes me want to vote Obama out of spite.

At least Obama seems interested in a more peaceful approach to world affairs. McCain wants to handle the Middle Eastern conflict when he doesn't even seem to understand a d--n thing about the two main branches of Islam. If he represents the typical American (sadly, that may be true, judging from this article) we should all be embarrassed.

The only thing missing from the editorial was a slogan: AMERICA, WE'RE WHITE AND WE'RE RIGHT!

Sickening.