THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 2, 1996 TAG: 9607030021
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 36 lines
Black churches burned? White churches burned? Racist graffiti on church walls? Burning crosses on lawns?
As a black man, I am not nearly so offended by the racist statements that these idiots think that they're making as by the sacrilege, the blasphemy and the insults against the God whom Americans of all races believe in.
Even as some of these people claim that they believe in God, it seems to me that in attempting to make a racist statement against other Americans whom they consider to be inferior to them, they insult and blaspheme God himself much more than they could possibly insult their intended victims by such ``statements.''
That's the bigger message that people who do such things are giving out, so they might as well call themselves satanists or anti-Christs by doing such things. And in the end, even if they never have to answer to any man for such sacrilegious acts meant to insult other races, they will answer to God himself for such hateful ``statements'' against some of his children.
And won't such ``God-fearing'' racists - such as the KKK - feel downright silly standing in the presence of their creator on Judgment Day and explaining that they meant no insult nor blasphemy against him by burning crosses, burning churches or painting filthy racist graffiti on church walls; they were merely expressing their feelings regarding some of God's children whom they consider to be inferior?
By burning a house of God, defiling it with racist insults or burning a cross, they may think they are insulting an ``inferior'' race, not God himself.
But who is inferior in God's eyes - the arsonists or their victims?
BENNY R. FOSTER
Norfolk, June 20, 1996 by CNB