Waynesville church: the letters to the editor

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Did you guys see the Waynesville church story on ABC’s World News Tonight last night? Jake Tapper did the story as part of an ongoing “politics and the pulpit” series. It was the regular fare, just more slickly produced. I was hoping they would interview the pastor, Chan Chandler, but that didn’t happen.

Meantime, the local newspaper is filling up with letters to the editor. Read them here and here.

Here’s a sampling of some of the best (or at least the most inflammatory):

I could rant and rave about the terrible choice Pastor Chandler and the church elders made, but it boils down to this: the actions of Chandler and his supporters are remarkably similar to the actions of the terrorists we are fighting here. The thought process of, “If you do not agree with us then you are unacceptable,” sounds very similar to Osama bin Laden and his ilk. Does Chandler want to create the same prejudice, separation and pain? I do not think Chandler wants to be lumped into the same category, but if he continues with this line of thought and course of action he will be doing bin Laden proud.

God is not a republican or democrat and the GOP’s suggestion that God is a Republican is dishonest and dangerous to America. This discrimination is a danger to our entire country – given our violent national history and it should be offensive to all Democrats and Republicans. It appears that the religious right wing extremists are the new American Taliban.