Disclaimer should've been included in letter

While we do not advocate the censorship of opinion pieces submitted to your paper, we note that the Herald does from time to time publish disclaimers of material it deems offensive or untrue.

Such a disclaimer would have been most welcome concerning Janney Chandler's letter that appeared in your Dec. 6 issue.

Sen. Obama should be free, as we all should, to espouse whatever religion he chooses. He is in fact a Christian, a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

A different person, who was later elected to the House of Representatives, was said to have used the Koran when being sworn into office. In doing so, that congressman was exercising his right of freedom of religion.

It is difficult to accept the views of someone who cannot distinguish between "Iran" and "Koran" as authoritative regarding either religion or politics.

We have in this nation and in our own community people with many different religious beliefs. They are equally to be respected.

In voting for elected officials, their past records and their views on what is needed to put this country on the right course are relevant. Their religious beliefs are not.

Rod Barcklay

Elsie Hollenbeck

Fay Morris

Larry Nelson

Steve Olson

Dean Peterson

Elaine Peterson,

Rebecca Peterson,

Lisa Robbe-Soults,

Warren Santoro,

Cleve Shearer,

Kathy Sheffler,

Grace Siler,

Toni Hollingsworth,

Charles McCrum,

Jane McCrum,

Jan Studer

and

John O'Connor