An abortion doctor. A security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Museum. And an Army private.
George Tiller. Stephen Tyrone Johns. Pvt. William Long.
The three men would seem to have little in common.
They share a bond -- death by hate.
Tiller was gunned down inside a church, apparently by an anti-abortion radical. Johns was killed by an 88-year-old racist, while Pvt. Long was shot by a 23-year-old American man who converted to Islam after the 9/11 attacks.
Different motives drove these killers, but they share a seething hatred fueled by unwillingness to accept the collective will of the American people. Our laws define how our society will operate. Our laws define our rights.
Americans of the Islamic faith have spent years trying to distance themselves from perceptions perpetuated by the outrageous and evil conduct of terrorists. The pro-life movement now must deal with the same stigma, apparently thanks to the murderous actions of 51-year-old Scott Roeder.
The stain of hate is our nation's problem.
We rightly celebrated the peaceful change of power that accompanied the election of President Barack Obama. Months later, the lunatic fringe is stirring and seeking to undermine the democratic process by exploiting freedoms Americans hold most dear.
The battle against domestic terrorists may be every bit as difficult as the struggle against enemies abroad. Domestic terrorists pose a unique threat because they may cloak their actions in the garments of true patriotism.
Americans can disagree on political and moral issues, such as abortion. Under the big tent of America's free and open society, there is room even for those whose views most find abhorrent. Americans, of all political and religious views, can and should work together to stamp out the brand of hatred that has spawned this intolerable spate of senseless violence.
Opinion
Agree to stamp out domestic terrorism
- Opinion
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Good-paying jobs
I am writing in response to comments made by several lawmakers and certain media regarding people receiving unemployment compensation not searching for employment but only wanting extensions.
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Economy is tough but still pay rises
It was my first time attending a Lewisburg School Board meeting last night. I went to hear public comment on the Boards recent decision to extend the Superintendents contract, which included a 20-plus percent pay raise.
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Sunbury has a lot to offer
I would like to respond to the letter writer that inferred that Sunbury was a pretty package with nothing inside.
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Mutual aid is necessary
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Lifting me higher
I am not a winner of a Pulitzer Prize, nor am I an author of best selling novels, I'm just a human being attempting to live life here on earth with purpose and I can find no greater way to do that than through my faith and my belief in God.
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Understaffing
I read with interest your article regarding police mutual aid in Northumberland County.
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Carney, Marino ought to get focused on issues
U.S. Rep. Chris Carney and Tom Marino ought to focus on the issues in the upcoming campaign for Congress.
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Blatantly unfair
The Pennsylvania Republican Party is supporting an effort to strike third-party candidates from the general election ballot in November.
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Fiscal responsibility
This editorial letter is only the second such letter I have been moved to pen in my lifetime.
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Schools need a little help from home
Milton High School failed to meet its adequate yearly progress under Pennsylvania's version of the federal No Child Left Behind because one student did not show up for the standardized test.
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Good-paying jobs
