Outpouring of hate greets Obama column

  My crime was a column I had written recently in which I argued that the outrageous resentment toward Sen. Obama by some columnists has poisoned the current political campaign. Naomi Schaefer Riley of the Wall Street Journal had said the senator had joined Trinity United Church of Christ because he was a radical at Harvard and wanted the support of that large congregation when he ran for political office.

Professor Thomas Sowell accused him of hypocrisy because when he decided to run for office he found it useful to present an image as a "post-racial" black. As one who knew the facts about the senator's life and counts him as a friend, I rose to his defense. Both writers, I asserted, bore false witness and displayed the kind of personal resentment that President Kennedy encountered and that created the atmosphere in which real crazies would kill him and his brother.

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  The next letter said the senator's early (and successful efforts) at community organizing had been instigated by the Jewish/radical/communist Saul Alinsky as part of his campaign to take over America. Mr. Alinsky was Jewish all right, and he died in 1972, 36 years ago and long before young Barack Obama engaged in nonviolent, non-radical community organization in South Chicago. Saul's great organizing feat was the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, based on Catholic ethnic parishes, which were about as communist as John Nance Garner.

John Kennedy was no good, either. A man who committed as many sins as he could not possibly be a good president. Barack was no different. He was an extreme socialist -- as was his wife. People would see through them both. He would never be elected. I was a bad priest. How could I say mass and endorse such a candidate. Where did I say mass? People didn't believe I had permission to say mass. The writers wouldn't believe I had permission unless they came and saw me.

And, oh yes, Thomas Sowell was a much better scholar than I was. I plead nolo contendere on that one.

Moreover, the senator was part of the most corrupt political organization in America, the same one that stole the election from Richard Nixon as part of the Communist Jewish conspiracy.

I finally figured out what had happened. Some reader had sent the column to a mailing list of Catholic crazies and they dumped their sickness on me. That goes with the territory. Reading the letters brightened my day.

I had not, by the way, endorsed Barack. I don't think columnists should, or priests, either. But he is a friend, and I feel called upon to defend my friends, though he hardly needs my protection from the likes of Tom Sowell and Naomi Riley.

I hope he wins and, even more, I hope he doesn't get shot. The people who wrote the stack of hate would very much like to see that happen.

Read Father Greeley's latest Articles: 
Why won't Bush admit mistakes?          Bush not swayed by Iraq reality
True or false: Can Bush tell difference?   A church 'scandal' that isn't.
Suddenly, greed doesn't look good         Bush's cloak-and-stagger folly.
Bumbling CIA's failures hurt America       Will we betray our Iraqi workers?
Better bishops would be a blessing        Immigration 'win' is no victory
Caution made JFK a great leader           Ethnic biases stronger than ever           
Latest Bush Iraq plan will fail                 An ending with no meaning
Long war' plan short on substance         Hatred of immigrants is sinful

Read the Chicago SunTimes' Daily Southtown articles.