Two responses today, (if I can) from Pedro Bazan, and to Kelly Scoles, "Second Opinion".

Hello Mr. Bazan, welcome to the Gazette.
My first question for you is "Are you a citizen of the U.S.?” My curiosity is aroused by the tenor of your letter. Your closing comment "the USA is an amazing Christian country" seems to contradict your opening disparagement of America, your denial of her "Judeo-Christian values", "when the United States is far removed from being founded on them." You further diminish our Declaration by attributing it to a bunch of alleged non-Christian Deists (Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams) "none of whom were Christians..." Also, you insist "Maddison" (actually spelled with a single "d") was another one of those pesky Deists, allegedly casting a shadow on the Judeo-Christian birthright of our Constitution. (See "Christian Deists" below). Study beyond Wikipedia, Pedro.

You claim the Constitution "contains wording that removes religion from state governance”. This final mistake in your failed attack on the moral and legal underpinnings of our great country can be stated in a single sentence: Despite the mixture of religious and philosophical beliefs among our Founding Fathers, every Founder, to a man, believed absolutely in the necessity of religion in the new nation if it was to be successful. They all agreed that without religion the experiment would certainly fail. The closest, perhaps, to being an atheist among them all, was Thomas Paine. ("Common Sense. 1776"). Even so, "Paine's deism—the belief in God, but the eschewing of organized religion—is often erroneously confused with atheism." "He believed that the only valid role of government in religious affairs was to protect freedom of religion." As for Jefferson: "Christian deism is a standpoint in the philosophy of religion stemming from Christianity. It refers to a deist who believes in the moral teachings—but not divinity—of Jesus."

One of the most contentious Constitutional amendments is to be found in the First: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;". The word "establishment" here refers to making any religion official, that is legally and financially official - like the Church of England in that country. It is NOT hostile to religion in the way you misunderstand.

About your Biblical references, Luke 12:23 does not mean that every person in the country must sell all their possessions - this would make the rich poor, and the poor rich. Luke 3:11, this tells us to be generous with our food and clothing. No more generous nation has ever existed than America. Your ignorance of this generosity says a lot about your anti-American background.

Matthew 22:39, love thy neighbor. The Golden Rule, often neglected in the West, always despised by communism, and all forms of totalitarian governments.

You continue: "Americans refuse to truly help the poor..." This is an easily discernible lie. Go back to your type of country where the poor are well taken care of -- Cuba, China, Russia, and Africa.

You mention slavery. What other nation on earth demanded and forced slavery out of its country through 4-years of bloody Civil War (600,000 dead). The British Empire (largest in history) did away with slavery with a mere Act of Parliament in 1807, banning trading in enslaved people within the British Empire.

Your letter is full of obvious calumnies about America because you are ignorant of our glorious history, much of your comments are humorously erroneous -- like references to the KKK, the Ku Klux Klan, founded by a Democrat, prominent Confederate Army general during the American Civil War, and the first Grand Wizard of that terrorist organization, Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Pedro, I'm having second thoughts about reviewing your letter. I'm thinking it may have been written by an ANTIFA organizer.
I would be glad to send you a list of reliable sources on American history -- that way you might learn enough to avoid being seen as such a disgusting ingrate.

Cordially,
Martin Farrell

Postscript: Incidentally, I see you are proud enough to sign-off with "University of California, Los Angeles". What are you doing in such an American institution? Check out the free education offered in Cuba!

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Hello, Kelly (Scoles) "Second Opinion".
You've raised far too many issues for me to respond to, and, surprisingly, I would agree with most of them. You lose me a little on the Vietnam War. We had some terrible generals then, and still do. As for President Nixon, Shakespeare's words say it best: "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." (Julius Caesar).

Kelly, answering your opinion this week is duty worthy of that three-legged tap dancer on ice -- and I'm dealing with my sciatic nerve.

What worries me now: "U.S. commander in Afghanistan steps down, marking symbolic end to 20 year war..." Taliban will be given billions in US armaments, and will quickly take over. Our generals have forgotten how to win wars!

"Taliban surge sends thousands fleeing..." "Talks with Taliban are making 'very little progress' as militant group gains momentum, says Afghan official". Only a fool would expect otherwise.

And: "What does the dawn of demisexuals tell us?" Next come the quadsexuals. It tells us that America has become degenerate, physically, mentally, and morally -- with little hope in site.

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Kelly, next week, please narrow it down - just to be fair.