Mike O'Neal, Kansas House Speaker, Emails Prayer Some Say Wishes For Obama's Death

An email recently sent by Kansas House Speaker Mike O'Neal (R-Hutchinson) to his Republican colleagues appears to endorse a controversial prayer that some say calls for the untimely death of President Obama.

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8." That's the slogan an email from O'Neal refers to, a phrase that's become popular in some circles on bumper stickers and other merchandise. The bible passage itself reads, "Let his days be few; and let another take his office." The real controversy arises in the next verse of Psalm 109, however, which continues, "May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow."

In a message accompanying the email, O'Neal writes:

"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!!!!!!"

O'Neal's office has insisted that his use of the psalm was referring only to the first segment, which they say simply shows support for Obama to be replaced as president, via an election, as soon as possible.

Back in 2009, The Huffington Post's Jason Linkins suggested that Psalm 109:8 was "the latest thing in 'Debasing The Institutions You Pretend To Hold Dear In Order To Suggest That President Barack Obama Should Be Murdered Without Actually Coming Right Out And Saying So.'"

In some circumstances, endorsement of Psalm 109 with regards to Obama has been dealt with seriously. Last year in Florida, a corrections officer was suspended after highlighting the passage and referring to it as the "Obama prayer."

While O'Neal isn't apologizing, outrage over the content of his email has sparked a petition drive calling for his immediate resignation.

O'Neal's email supporting Psalm 109.8 wasn't the only email that emerged to stir controversy either. Earlier this month, O'Neal apologized for an email, also forwarded to his GOP colleagues, that referred to First Lady Michelle Obama as Mrs. YoMama and compared her to the Grinch.

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Comments

[Cunningham]

03:22 AM on 01/30/2013

"Pray for Obama – Psalm 109:8" was a popular rightwing bumper sticker in 2009. O'Neal continues to perpetuate the right's hatred of our president.

The rest of the "holy" psalm is:

Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labor.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

[William a Price]

06:23 PM on 01/31/2013

I pray GOD that he in his wisdom and power, forgive these men, for they know not what they do.
these are desperate people who knows that judgement is soon upon us. They will say to the Lord, didn't we cast out demon in your name and didn't we preform miracle in your name. No get away from you workers of lawlessness. Amen

[Cunningham]

05:29 PM on 02/01/2013

Of course they know what they're doing. Don't be so naive.

[Laura Self]

10:20 PM on 01/27/2013

Sounds a lot like a threat to me. I think the SOB should be arrested.

[Gordon Hilgers]

06:47 PM on 01/26/2013

How do diptards like O'Neil even get into public office in the first place? Is Kansas that backward? I'm now thoroughly convinced that, far from being a remedy to social and cultural decline, Christian fundamentalism in all its forms is actually a symptom of it, and unless we combat it and cull it from our society it will end the American experiment.

[Pattie Ann Blystone]

03:08 PM on 01/20/2013

Seaker O'Neal gives another radical example of racism in our country. Why was O'Neal even allowed to keep his office. He needed to be kicked out of office and charges should be placed on him for treason. If this would have happened to President Bush the Secret Service would be all over O'Neal.
The same should apply to President Obama and his family. I love my country but hate racism.

[Patricia Losos]

10:30 AM on 01/20/2013

Another example of racism and bigotry hiding behind 'Christianity'. Why has Mr. O'Neal been allowed to keep his job as speaker and more importantly, why hasn't the Secret Service arrested him for treason? If the same actions had been committed against President George W. Bush or any President preceding him, the perpetrator would be behind bars for a long time. This story needs more publicity so that so-called decent Christians and Christian leaders can speak out against O'Neal's use of religion to incite hate and the wish for President Obama's death.

[Denis Freeland]

12:51 AM on 01/20/2013

And the popemobile has bullet proof glass, because the pope knows how effective prayer is.

[Wanda Elmore]

11:16 PM on 01/19/2013

Enough is enough. They want guns in schools and now they Pray for President Obama to die? Isn't that pushing the limit? This should be outlawed. There are enough crazies to load up their guns and try to do it. Them they would say they were protecting America.

[GrahamC100]

09:28 PM on 01/19/2013

The comment, itself, if terrible. Even worse, however, will be a 'no action' stance by the citizens of Kansas. Speaker O'Neal will only be allowed to apologize his way out of this, if his constituents allow him to do so. The ball is now in their court.

[TimothyLeoCrowely]

08:52 PM on 01/19/2013

He should get a visit from the Secret Service.

[TimothyLeoCrowely]

08:49 PM on 01/19/2013

The GOP. The party of all hate all the time

[libertybox]

03:10 PM on 01/19/2013

The Bible says one shall not take his word in vain. Matthew 5:22 Quotes Jesus so:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But I am saying to you, that everyone who will be angry against his brother without cause is condemned before the judge, and everyone who will say to his brother, 'I spit on you', is condemned before the assembly, and whoever will say 'You fool.' is condemned to the Gehenna of fire.

[Barry Harting]

02:59 PM on 01/19/2013

This is treason, we may not agree with things he does but I'll never wish death to anyone because we do not agree politically. I do not understand this mans thinking, very disturbing.

[SeaMastr]

01:48 PM on 01/19/2013

what a loathesome, hateful, vile, little man! He needs to be ousted from the Legislature NOW.

[Gregario]

12:50 PM on 01/19/2013

Now I understand why, 90 years ago, my mother left Kansas.

[Independent Veteran]

09:30 AM on 01/19/2013

Right-wing "Christians" who think this type of "prayer" is OK with their God need to remember that God answers all prayers, just not necessarily the way they want them answered. If I was a believer to that extent and offered this prayer and then someone I cared about suddenly died, then I would have to wonder if that was God's answer.