Norman Solomon's article on Pope Benedict XVI (nee Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger)

To Norman Solomon, you should've learned the meaning of "respect your elders." Bashing both the late great Pope John Paul II, a damn good highly-regarded man, and Pope Benedict XVI (nee, the key word is nee, Mr. Solomon, nee Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) is totally unacceptable in my book. How dare you depict these two the way you did, you piece of scum. I am Roman Catholic and proud of it, and I am defending both of these Vatican officials. I am also reprimanding you, Mr. Solomon, for talking trash about our new pope.

While I can't complain about several pieces you did bashing Pastor Rod Parsley and his extremist conservative right-wing views, two people responsible for this piece of crap that you did on our new Pope need to be condemned by God himself, Norman Solomon for writing it, and Bob Fitrakis for giving it the ultimate stamp of approval before taking it to press.

Look, you can jaw all you want about Pres. Bush and his administration as well disciples of the extreme right such as Pas. Rod Parsley and that wicked wench Ann Coulter. You can utter your displeasures about the right-wing GOP as much as you desire, but saying crud about our Pope and his beloved predecessor is going way over the line. When you do crap like this, you're going to get the business from even your own readers, like me, who pay attention to your periodicals. I support the Dems in a heartbeat, but there's a time and place for everything. There is never a time and place to diss any Pope of any kind. Somebody ought to wash Solomon's mouth out with SOAP!! What I read about Benedict XVI is beyond disgusting. Shame on you, Mr. Solomon and Mr. Fitrakis.

Also, Solomon's denial to address him as Benedict XVI and keep on referring to him as "Ratzinger," his birth name, is extremely disrespectful. Solomon has a lot of nerve to put down this man, no matter what he did in the past. He is our Pope whether you like it or not!! Not even Dems like Nancy Pelosi or John F. Kerry, both Roman Catholic politicians, would speak foul things about this man. As for Pope John Paul II, Mr. Solomon, don't even go there!!

As a matter of fact, during John Paul's reign as Pope, there were only 8 percent (a vast minority if you ask me) in this world who disliked this great man: Scandanavian protestants (from Sweden, Norway, and Finland, none of which were present at John Paul II's funeral, and excluding Danes and Icelanders, who did appear at the most watched funeral in the history of TV); International Terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Sadaam Hussein's Baath Party, Hamas, and North Korea; the Turkish rat bastard who unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate him in 1981; Jehovah's witnesses; atheists; and of course, Norman Solomon, Bob Fitrakis, and their gaggle of clowns who are probably happy to see John Paul II "six feet under." You people are pathetic, especially when you publish this sick, repulsive garbage.

I get the impression that Solomon acts like he wants to go to Vatican City and assassinate Pope Benedict XVI because he hates him so much. My advice to Mr. Solomon, you better read the Bible all the way through, or else you're going to pay for committing the "Cardinal Sin," for your below-the-belt comments on what you said about our new Pope and P.J.P. II. It takes an extreme low-life to bad-mouth a devout and highly-esteemed individual like our Pope.

By the way, Mr. Solomon, Pope John Paul II will be canonized and made a bona fide Saint, whether you like it or not!! Get over it, Solomon..."Ratzinger," as you put it, is our Pope!! His name is Benedict XVI, got it!! You claim you are a Christian...putting down a pious man is absolutely "un-Christian."

As Rapper Ice-T once put it, in 1989, "Freedom of Speech...just watch what you say!!" Norman Solomon is anything but watching what he's saying. He ought to be ashamed of himself for comparing a man like our Pope to Satan. Respect your elders, Solomon!!

Dave Jokerst
Roman Catholic defending my Pope
Galion, OH