Published: October 30, 2009 06:42 pm      

10-31 Letters: your views

EDMOND — Reader takes Edmond pastor to task

To the Editor:

The Rev. Paul Blair of Edmond’s Fairview Baptist Church said on FOX-25 news that the expansion of America’s hate crime laws to include protections on account of gender, disability and sexual orientation is “open season on Christians.”

Many who oppose hate crime laws today supported them in the past, when their protections addressed violence perpetrated on account of race, religion and nation of origin. Some folks just oppose legislation that extends any recognition to gays and lesbians as acceptable people, even if it is only to reduce violence against them. Their religious belief is that homosexuality is a sinful choice rather than a human characteristic.

The Bill of Rights protects Rev. Blair’s preaching what he believes. But his anti-homosexual teachings are as hurtful and misguided as racism.

Slavery was defended by Christians who said, “It’s in the Bible.” Racial segregation was defended with scriptures. The Ku Klux Klan burned crosses on front lawns to say they were following God’s word. Those Christians were as certain of their propriety as Paul Blair is today. But they were wrong, and so is he.

The American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association and National Association of Social Workers have all officially declared that sexual orientation — whether one is straight or gay — is a normal human characteristic. The Rev. Blair can no more stop the evolution of human values than he can stop the evolution of species.



Nathaniel Batchelder

Oklahoma City



Reader thanks PD for missing person call

To the Editor:

I have never in my life written a letter but feel I would like to express my feelings about a couple of items recently in The Edmond Sun.

First, I read where people were upset about getting the missing child alert sent out by phone calls to local numbers. I would agree that it might be inconvenient to receive a call at that time of night but strongly support the Edmond Police Department for taking that step and sending out the alert in that way.

If any of those people who complained about their phone ringing had been the parents of that missing child I don’t think they would have been disturbed at all by phoning Emond people and asking for their help. I’ll be glad to answer any phone call at any time of day or night if it would help in any way to find a missing person. Thank you Edmond Police Department.

The second item I would like to address is I was sorry to read about the homeless person, Dwite “Bicycle Bob” Morgan’s death. That was quite disturbing to read, not only about his death but about the poor man who took such a drastic step in order to get himself a place to sleep.

That being said, I wonder how many other homeless people who are living right here in Edmond’s back streets and alleys that could be helped if the dollars being spent to memorialize Bicycle Bob’s terrible death could be used to help them? The man obviously preferred living his life alone and was private; does anyone think he would appreciate all this hoopla around his demise?

We should remember the people still living out in the cold here in Edmond and spend those dollars in order to try to make their life better. Again, I hope this doesn’t read like I am not sad about his death but come on now, why not use all that money to improve the lives and existence of the remaining homeless still living in Edmond!

Thank you for taking time to read my letter.



Linda Fisher

Edmond