No Free Pass for Obama
To the Editor:

In response to a letter, "Race-Baiting Obama," written by Michael J. Gorman (Aug. 29 issue), I am curious about how Mr. Gorman finds it racist that people like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and others considered to be of the right-wing faction of this country question just who this person Barack Obama is.

Any candidate for the presidency of the United States should be questioned about his values. Because Barack Obama is a black male, he should be exempt from this? The mainstream liberal media has given Barack Obama a free pass. Why does he deserve a free pass? Oh okay, he is black and the questioning into his values is somewhat of a racial attack. No way. The past of this man should be laid out for all of America to see.

Barack Obama was associated for over 20 years with an American-hating minister, and he is associated with a known American terrorist named William Ayers. This man and his wife were members of the Weather Underground, a group that was hell-bent on bringing this country down by making and planting bombs. These bombs were planted at government buildings including police precincts throughout this country and New York City Police Headquarters. This group also caused the death of police officers.

Barack Obama's campaign team states Barack Obama was only eight years old when all this occurred. That is fine and well, but why did Barack Obama associate himself with this America-hating couple knowing very well who they were? The mainstream liberal media has never questioned Barack Obama on this. Mr. Gorman and his left-wing friends in the Democratic Party don't want Barack Obama questioned about this, so they cry racism right away.

I respect the fact that Mr. Gorman is an attorney and a former member of the NYPD. However, I, too, was a member of the NYPD for over 26 years, and I find it totally embarrassing that he would call people racists who question Barack Obama as a candidate for the presidency.

PHILIP A. FRANCHINA