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Dear Garrison, My family and

November 17, 2004 |

Dear Garrison,
My family and I have had the privilege of listening to your show from time to time. We often seem to hear it on the radio while we are traveling and it makes a nice change from the typical rock, country or other programs we end up listening to otherwise. That said and hopefully taken to heart, I want to let you know that your Nov. 6th program was very hurtful and offensive to me. You see, I am a "born-again Christian" and also a home school Mom and the wife of a professor of aerospace engineering at Penn State University. It saddens me that you feel that I don't have a constitutional right to vote, that I am not a citizen of this country and that the only book I have read is the Bible.

I am sure you can guess who I voted for and I know that you disagree with me on a good many things. But now is not the time to be insulting of each other. We are a country divided and a house divided against itself cannot stand. This is just where our enemies want us. Can we agree on that? Now is the time to put aside our differences and get behind our country, our president and each other. We are not all of the same opinion, religion, race or political persuasion, but we are all Americans and this should be our focus and our point of reference. I know you were only poking fun at others in light of the election results, but please be fair and consider how your remarks affect those who are in earshot of your radio program. We hear diversity and tolerance for all being preached, but it should be extended to those of us who are Christians as well.

I still will listen to your show. It is a humorous part of my Saturday and I wouldn’t miss it. I hope these few words have fallen on understanding ears.

Stephenie Brentner

Stephenie,
I'm sorry my joke didn't amuse you. I think it was a hilarious joke and that I — the child of fundamentalist parents who never voted because they felt their citizenship was in heaven — had the right to make it. It's the sort of joke that the fundamentalists I know even make about themselves. But apparently it fell flat in Pennsylvania. The wonderful thing about radio, though, is that it comes with a dial and anything you don't like is quickly disposed of. And there are many, many Christian stations for you to listen to, and conservative stations, where you would never ever hear such a joke told. — By the way, the Christian references on PHC stimulate, by far, the largest volume of audience criticism. The gospel music that we present is offensive to a good many people. They say, "What right do you have to inflict your beliefs on those who don't agree?" I suppose they have a good point, but in fact, it's so easy to turn off a show that I can't really sympathize with them. And I am in favor of free and vigorous expression. Your suggestion that Christians aren't tolerated in this country I find odd in the extreme. But I don't mind that you say what you think.

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