To the editor:

Though possibly unintentional, in Terry Frazier’s column in The Vicksburg Post Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, the use of quotation marks around the word “Christian” was offensive to all Christians, and especially conservative Christians, since that was the group mentioned. While I am a conservative Christian, and admit I have at times been bewildered to realize there are also some very liberal Christians in this world, to insert quotation marks when using the term (liberal Christians) would be insulting as well. It’s best not to stoop to that level.

The use of quotation marks in that manner usually suggests, often sarcastically, that a person, place or thing is not as it appears or claims to be. For instance, “She went to Paris one year” means someone travelled to Paris, France, but “She went to ‘Paris’ one year” might mean she visited the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Or, one might say when indicating a fair-haired female “The blonde lady at the bank,” but “The ‘blonde’ lady at the bank” probably means the “blonde” came from a bottle.

No doubt Ms. Frazier is given broad freedom in selecting topics, but her columns are so much more enjoyable when she doesn’t choose politics. Following that column, maybe politics and religion should both be “off the table.”

Linda Polk

Vicksburg