I don't judge Senator Obama's relationship with his pastor at all. If I were judged by the comments and/or actions of some of my lifelong friends, they'd probably want to take me to Starke and yank 'Old Sparky' out of the storage shed.

What goes on in someone's house of worship is that person's private business, not something to be dragged out into public scrutiny, no matter how much others may take offense to the language, service content or activity.

If I have any gripe with Senator Obama, it has nothing to do with how he worships the Creator, if he worships at all, where he worships, or who may be his spiritual adviser(s).

Freedom of religion is just that.

Until such time as the clergyman in question is arrested for inciting to riot, or anything like that, the clergyman is simply exercising his First Amendment right of free speech and Senator Obama is exercising his First Amendment right regarding freedom of religion.

We may not like the dialogue that we have been given privilege to hear, but the freedoms granted by the US Constitution cannot be selectively exercised - it's all or nothing. I can't remember ('senior moment!') who said, " I may not like what you said, but I'll defend with my life your right to say it." It's just how I feel.

Other strings get into various election topics, and I'll put my 2-cents worth into those. This one to me is cut-and-dried, and while its easy to get into this matter, it's also dangerous.