I couldn’t disagree more with the editorial “A ‘Background’ Gap” (BDN, July 29). It says these words are code words for racism, should one oppose Sen. Obama, who is black, for president. The paper underestimates the quality of the thinking of most Americans.

A presidential candidate who says rural Americans need guns and religion because they are depressed, who wants to raise your taxes, who never wore a flag pin until he was criticized for not wearing one, who chose not to visit our wounded troops in German hospitals on his recent campaign trip is out of touch with the “background and values” of most Americans and the BDN.

Bob Roxbrough

Greenville