LETTERS Main Edition

• Published in: The Atlanta journal-constitution (2001)
• Main Author: ALLEN WOLMER, CHARLES D. EDEN, KIP HOWARD, DENNIS JOHNSON, PAUL L. WHITELEY SR., FRED FOX, BOB HAWKINS, JOHN KRIEGER, FRED HAHN, RICHARD A. CARTER JR., KEITH FITZPATRICK, RICHARD WILLIAMS, JOCK ELLIS, DAVID S. MEBANE, RANDY COOK, WILLIAM L. KIRBY II
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta, Ga Atlanta Journal Constitution, LLC 21.01.2007
• ISSN: 1539-7459

I suspect [Chris Hedges] targets charlatans like Benny Hinn because they so conveniently seem to confirm the author's fear of Christianity. The only real truth in the Hedges interview is that men like Hinn exist and, unfortunately, prey on sad people who are easily misled. After 25 years of studying and bumping heads with what Hedges calls American Fascists, I completely agree with his assessment. And nowhere is this "cultural war" more evident than in our public school classrooms, be it advancing an inerrant reading of Genesis via Creationism courses or censorship of books. Though Hedges decries the "destruction of dispassionate intellectual inquiry" in regard to science classes, it thoroughly permeates the entire approach of these folks because intellectual inquiry requires individual thought and reaching conclusions which may be different from what has been ordained as "correct." Thus we now have nationalized high stakes tests for even the youngest where rote learning is prized and creative solutions are failures. That's not education; it's the first step toward a totalitarian state. Martin Luther King Jr.'s voice of peace is as relevant now as it was in 1967 when he first spoke out in opposition to the Vietnam War ("King's voice of peace resounds amid Iraq woes" Cynthia Tucker Jan. 14). King's peacemaking principles were rooted in the teachings and life of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Jesus' peace plan is eternally applicable, but no nation has ever tried to implement it. That shows a lack of faith and trust in our Creator; for with God all things are possible. One would think many, many more members of the clergy would prophetically speak out for peace and justice and in opposition to war. King courageously spoke truth to power --- his government. America and the world would be much better off if we had more true prophets like King.