Dear Editor,

I want to express my extreme disappointment with the “cartoon” on your Editorial page in the Aug. 8, 2012, edition of your paper.

I am very surprised, and again, disappointed, that you would print such a hateful and mean-spirited cartoon concerning the recent issue of the beliefs of the CEO of the Chick-fil-A company and the response to it by those on both sides of this matter.

However, the most significant issue to me is the fact that the CEO has the right to express his opinions as well as the fact that he does, indeed, stand for Christian values, especially in regard to his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. Not to mention, that is also the law in the large majority of the states. For him to be severely castigated by those of a different view, including the drawer of this vile cartoon, and evidently by your printing it, you as well, is to me much more hateful and vile than the despicable words he writes on the top of the cup in the cartoon and attributes to this company.

The cartoonist, again in my opinion, is much like the cowardly gentleman, (using that term rather loosely), that berated a young female employee of the company in a drive-through of one of the restaurants, and then posted it on the Internet. At least, in his case, he suffered some rather significant consequences for his poor behavior and judgment. (He was terminated by his company.) As I consider canceling my subscription to your paper, perhaps that could be a small measure of some consequence for your printing of this cartoon.

I find it extremely ironic that, in this edition of your newspaper, you also publish on the very first page the First Amendment to our Constitution, stating any prohibition to the free exercise of religion or speech. The cartoonist, and again, you by printing this cartoon, would seem to not wish to afford those precious rights to the CEO.

I am a retired veteran and spent 27 years of my life in helping to assure those freedoms. I am again, very disappointed in your printing of this cartoon.

Ron Gilliard

Bainbridge