Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

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Re “The Republican attack on Muslims” (Editorial, Sept. 24): I was stunned to read your allegations that Ben Carson is a bigot and demagogue for saying Islamic Shariah law is inconsistent with the values of liberal democratic societies. The editorial tries to draw a parallel between Judaism, Catholicism and Islam. “As for Shariah law,” it states, “Catholicism has canon law and Judaism has the Halakha and nobody is painting them as threats to the republic.” This is not correct. Canon law has no civil-binding power over Catholics, whereas Shariah law does over Muslims.

Moreover, you lump Dr. Carson together with all the other potential Republican candidates, creating a cumulative effect that attempts to make the reader believe there is hardly any difference between Dr. Carson and Donald Trump, since you accuse both men of having succumbed to the tactics of spreading “demagogy,” and of displaying that “pernicious habit among the leaders of the Republican Party” of playing with fire.

Furthermore, you find it “unintentionally funny” that Dr. Carson—“as an African-American” and a “member of a much-belittled minority”—holds the view of other minorities (Muslims) that he does. The editorial is an example of the very faults you accuse Dr. Carson of possessing: bigotry and demagogy.

Zbigniew Janowski, Essex, Md.

Note from KBJ: When I read this letter, I had to check my calendar to see whether it's April Fool's Day. The Times hardly ever publishes critical letters such as this. How refreshing! It reminds me of a time, long ago, when I respected the New York Times.

Note 2 from KBJ: Have you ever wondered why leftists have such vitriol for conservative blacks such as Condoleezza Rice, Clarence Thomas, and Ben Carson? Here's my explanation. It's racial prejudice. That's right: good old-fashioned racial prejudice. Whites are allowed to differ on matters moral and political. That's considered natural and normal, though undesirable, for leftists prefer that everyone think alike. Blacks, on the other hand, are expected to think alike and to share moral and political values. This is because, in the leftist mind, blacks aren't individuals the way whites are. Blacks are blacks, i.e., members of a class. The class determines the characteristics of the members. You may recognize this as prejudice, which consists in judging people as members of a class rather than as distinct individuals. (To prejudge X is to judge X before taking the time to know X as an individual.) The irony is that leftists consider themselves to be open-minded and conservatives to be prejudiced. The prejudice is projected. Leftists are the last remaining bigots in society. They're still celebrating their election of a man who is half black and has no connection to American slavery, while trying to destroy the character and integrity of a man who is all black, who descends from slaves, and who, through hard work and determination, made something of himself. Barack Obama succeeded because of his skin color. Ben Carson succeeded in spite of his skin color. Think about it.

Let me get this straight. Democrats rammed through a health-care bill with no Republican support and against the will of the American people. This bill was supposed to expand health-care coverage and lower costs for everyone. It hasn't done either. Guess who's to blame. That's right: Republicans.

The wit and wisdom of Steve Spurrier, a.k.a. the Old Ball Coach.

I took this picture from the path that leads from the visitor's center at Fort Michilimackinac to the fort itself. It shows the Mackinac Bridge from below. That's Lake Michigan to the left of the bridge (as the sign indicates). Lake Huron is to the right. The area is known as the Straits of Mackinac. Click to enlarge. By the way, "Michilimackinac" is pronounced "Mah-SHIL-e-MACK-in-AW."

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Huang Chung (1982).

As I've been saying for many years, economics is politics masquerading as science.