‘Barack the Magic Negro’ is bitter, divisive song parody

(Regarding article “RNC candidate distributes controversial Obama song,” Dec. 26, and related coverage.) Is this the direction that is set by our leadership in Washington? At a local level, are we to distribute CDs that have bitter, divisive messages? Is this a lesson in how I will win elections at the local level? Is this the message I must carry to my neighbors to win their faith in my values?

At this time in our nation’s history, have we nothing better to do as a party than to pick at the scabs that lie on the wounds of race, then cry in joyous shock when they bleed in the oddest of directions?

Our citizenry must act as a united state. Our country faces so many challenges that can only be addressed as a strong body. Our enemies love the wedges our own leaders drive into our beliefs.

This act transcends poor judgment. It is an intentional attempt to derail solutions. It is meant to distract us from the real work at hand. The author of the piece, its sponsors and its advocates have taken a chip from the mortar of our country.

Tybee Island, Ga.

Appalling conviction

From Pat Murphy

What’s more appalling than the so-called parody on President-elect Obama is the conviction by Republican National Committee chairman candidate Chip Saltsman that this sort of slime would appeal to enough Republicans to put him in charge of the party’s central brain trust.

Ketchum, Idaho

Anti-gun farsightedness

From Diana Clark

(Regarding article “New rule prompts fears of guns at inauguration,” Dec. 27.) As usual the anti-gun crowd’s chronic farsightedness is flaring up again. They are blissfully blind to the damage they are doing to our nation now — but can always foresee horrendous events and problems that may arise at some point in the future. And their standard solution, of course, is to ignore our constitutional freedoms, and if at all possible, pass yet another unnecessary law imposing their fears upon the rest of us.

They have no respect for law, and routinely violate it in the pursuit of their quest for power. But they forget that those very same gun owners do respect and abide by the law — until, of course, a liberal is faced with violence, at which point he will be the first to whine that those same evil gun owners should show up and protect his posterior!

These people need to get real jobs, like most of those wicked, gun-totin’, Bible-clutchin’ conservatives they hate so much. Then they wouldn’t have time to worry about all those dreadful what-ifs that invade their nightmares.

Chandler, Texas

The GOP’s real struggle

From Lou Winans

(Regarding article “Analysis: Republicans struggle with race,” Jan. 2.) The Republicans didn’t lose the election because of race. They lost because they put up a spineless liberal as their candidate (who, I might add, was the liberal media’s choice), leaving the majority of Americans, who are generally conservative, without a candidate for whom to vote, and without a party representing their views.

Too many Republicans have thrown away their compass and bought into the liberal mindset, when what they need to do is get back to the conservative principles of the majority of Americans and firmly stand on them. They need to stop timorously distancing themselves from Rush Limbaugh and start following his advice.

The article says Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) apologized in April for referring to Obama as a “boy.” You might recall that Jimmy Carter also referred to Obama as a “boy,” but Carter, being a Democrat, never had to apologize. If you’re a Republican, you can’t even mention the rather obvious fact that Obama is black without being accused of being a racist.

Endicott, N.Y.