No ‘fundamental misunderstanding’ here
EDITOR:
Seems the good Chaplain Eric Keller takes exception to the use of a metaphor by County Major Terry Frank in her endorsement of Bill Hagerty, to describe current events across the American landscape and the “multi-fronted challenge we face as a nation” as, “war” (The Courier News; July 29, 2020).
Chaplain Keller, you chide the mayor in response (The Courier News; Aug. 5, 2020) for failing to mention why these protests we see in Democrat-run cities across America are occurring now, and then offer your own reality supposedly validated by statistics, and somehow link that to an undefined risk factor for minority transmission rates of the corona virus while ignoring China’s responsibility in its spread, whether intentional or through their silence – all of which also fails to answer your own question: ‘Why [do] these protests exist now?’
You then falsely accuse the mayor of writing that people who do not agree with her do not love their country. Good Chaplain, you know that is not what she wrote.
She asked a question in contrasting those who believe in America’s greatness with those so-called peaceful protesters; “But whoever imagined … that loving your country would be a questionable act?”
Gratuitously you acknowledge Mayor Frank’s First Amendment right to endorse a candidate, before questioning her wisdom. For the record, the right of anyone to endorse a candidate is an inalienable right granted by the Lord above, the First Amendment only recognizes and prohibits the government from infringing upon that right.
Three years ago, Chaplain Keller, you started a blog as the chairman of the AC Democrat Party, and began with these words; “I am a stranger here, arriving in 2011 …”
You went on to convey the message that you had heard from “many people” that went like this: “This county is deep red and Republicans always win. Don’t bother trying to support a Democrat, just support the least distasteful Republican.” With that information in hand, you went on to attack the character of Republicans, the president, and in particular Mayor Frank; accusing her, among others, of being a racist and alluding to her as a Nazi. You even threw your libel at me in one of your posts, having never met or spoken with me, parroting local election campaign slander.
Being a stranger here, or not, do you not see where your rantings might be just a tad, how would you say, divisive? I will submit to you that the answer to your own question is right there in the mirror for you to see.
You, too, have the same inalienable right as us all to speak your mind. It is a shame Chaplain, that you use your right to spread myths among the American people, particularly in this county. It seems a poor exercise of your God-given right.
So I ask, what is this brand of American unity you spread good Chaplain, as you whisper into the itching ears of those who watch the violence, lawlessness and destruction unfold across the American landscape and who listen to the Democrat’s response, “Don’t believe your lying eyes, these are peaceful protests”? Those you champion fail to properly govern the very cities that are burning, and your diversionary rhetoric blames all but those responsible.
Richard Burroughs
Oak Ridge
