To the editor:

Most mornings, I am pleased to find the Journal-World on my doorstep. Sometimes, however, the paper hits my front porch with the dull and pulpy thud of a stink bomb down the elevator shaft. Those are the days Cal Thomas’ column appears.

I realize the J-W must strive for balance among its columnists. I also suspect it is good form for editors to carry someone bound to infuriate subscribers of the predominant persuasion for which the community is known – in this case, progressive readers – lest the paper be accused of preaching to the choir. Certainly George Will, with his cloying pedantry and baroque syntax, does that nicely enough, though he occasionally dishes up a baseball analogy worth considering.

Unsilent Cal is of another species entirely. Bigoted, xenophobic, self-righteous and always in the churchy context of the drunken Sunday school teacher who shows up on time, having beaten his wife half to death the night before, to condemn us all to hell if we don’t stop smoking. “Obama fails Christianity test” (Journal-World, June 13). Indeed!

The response might be, “If you don’t like it, just don’t read it.” Ah, choice: the shibboleth for ducking responsible judgment. I may have to shield the eyes of my grandchildren from scenes of graphic dismemberment or sexual dalliance that unexpectedly intrude on a DVD we are watching. I expect more from the people who are supposed to be running an intelligent editorial page at the hometown newspaper.

Bill Getz,
Lawrence