Letters: What's in a name?

RE KENNETH Carchidi's June 2 letter with questions about Barack Obama.

Yes Mr. Carchidi, Barack Obama is a Muslim and when he becomes president all women, black and white, Asian, and Chinese will have to be completely covered in Muslim garb.

That sounds as dumb as you still questioning his religion. He has told and showed the world his faith and people like you who are white will continue to use his religion as an excuse as to why you don't want him as a president.

He might be "a candidate from nowhere," but since the primary, he has been everywhere and is now the Democratic nominee.

What purpose would a Muslim have running for president, by the way? To promote terrorism? Geez!

Renee Towns, Philadelphia

Kenneth Carchidi considers op-ed contributor Deborah Leavy negligent for not being inquisitive enough (unlike his inquiring mind) to wonder if Barack Obama is possibly ashamed to use his middle name, Hussein.

So now he's got me wondering if George W. Bush might also be ashamed of his middle name (Walker) so that he just ekes out the "W" instead? Your annoyed letter writer didn't include his middle name. Hmmm. I wonder what he's hiding? Well, maybe he doesn't have one - but that seems kind of un-American, you know? Like maybe he's just not quite "one of us."

Bill Paci, Philadelphia

Kenneth Carchidi asks some pretty dumb questions about Barack Obama. How do we know Obama isn't a closet Muslim? Because he was raised by his Christian mother and grandparents. Does Mr. Carchidi know that John McCain's middle name is Sidney? Why doesn't he ever use it? Dumb.

Mike Lawler, Pottstown