Kansas GOP House Speaker Mike O’Neal Sends Email Praying Obama’s “Children will be Fatherless, Wife a Widow”

Kansas GOP House Speaker Mike O'Neal Sends Email Praying Obama's "Children will be Fatherless, Wife a Widow" (Think Progress)

Kansas GOP House Speaker Mike O’Neal is under fire for forwarding yet another despicable email to House Republicans. This email referred to President Barack Obama through a quote taken from Psalm 109, that says “Let his days be few, may his children be fatherless and his wife be widowed.”  Mike O’Neal was forced to apologize last week for sending an email disparaging First Lady Michelle Obama as “Mrs. YoMamma” and compared her to the Grinch because her windblown hair was snapped in a photograph.

Well, this time, Mike O’Neal doesn’t think he has to apologize because he claims he was referring to the end of Obama’s presidency and not to an assassination. Well, if President Obama fails to win re-election, how does that leave his children fatherless and his wife a widow? He’s calling for his death, plain and simple.

Nick Sementelli at Faith in Public Life notes that Psalm 109, which is a prayer for the death of a leader, became a popular conservative meme after Obama’s election. The “tongue-in-cheek” prayer for the president was seen on bumper stickers. The relevant part of the psalm reads:

Let his days be few; and let another take his office

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.

May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.

O’Neal forwarded the prayer with his own message: “At last — I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president! Look it up — it is word for word! Let us all bow our heads and pray. Brothers and Sisters, can I get an AMEN? AMEN!!!!!!” Source: Think Progress

Mike O’Neal and his right wingnuts can twist this any way, but to suggest they are referring to the end of President Obama’s term in office isn’t taking this scripture verse out of context is ridiculous. No matter how you view this, the verse is clearly calling for the death of a leader, whether through natural or unnatural causes.