Smears are prompted by fear

Re “Smears 2.0,” editorial, Dec. 3

Somehow you manage to confuse smears and bigotry with Americans’ genuine and widespread fear of the Islamic threat. Our way of life has been drastically changed by the Islamic influence in the world. Don’t even try to equate the election of John F. Kennedy as a Catholic with what is happening today. Forget about the Ottoman siege of Vienna. Talk about today and the fact that neither Muslim leaders nor Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) say anything about this current threat. If he wants to avoid any potential bigotry or smear, ask Obama to loudly decry what is happening to our world by a lack of leadership in the Islamic world.

Harold Bowling

Studio City

I was the horrified recipient of the e-mail “The Enemy Within.” The bigotry in this country is ever present. Because Muslim men were behind the 9/11 tragedy, all Muslims are maligned. Obama suffers for having a Muslim name, even though he is a Christian. I am sure I am not the first to remind Americans that among this nation’s founding principles are religious freedom and liberty for all.

Margaret L. Carter

Torrance