Tom Fulks throws stones with latest piece
Although I appreciated and applauded the spirit of advocacy in Tom Fulks’ piece (“Proposed psychiatric hospital in Templeton is a beacon of hope,” Feb. 27), he makes some sweeping, denigrating generalizations about the nature and character of those who oppose it. Personally attacking those with whom you disagree rarely wins the day.
At two points, he unfairly insinuates that “bigotry, ignorance, fear and heartlessness” is a product of Templeton’s Christian community: “The notion of your ill-begotten riff-raff anywhere near our cloistered homes and white-walled churches is repugnant,” and “anywhere but their little God-fearing fortress of charmed-life privileged.”
As the pastor of one of those white-walled churches (literally) in Templeton, filled with God-fearing followers of the Jesus to whom he refers, I do not recognize his description at all in the faces of the people I see every Sunday.
On the contrary, there are many in our church who understand the prevalence of mental illness in our culture and the great necessity of a facility such as this, and are advocating for its arrival, including myself. Sometimes when we get too enthusiastic in the battle against bigotry and ignorance, we catch a bit of it ourselves.
Charlie Little, Templeton
This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 8:57 PM with the headline "Tom Fulks throws stones with latest piece."