I was scanning the Internet this week, after being notified of this via e-mail, and found a photo and cutline of interest in a publication by the U.S. Air Force. When I saw it and read the cutline, I asked myself, "Why don't we see this kind of story in the press?"

The photo was of Air Force Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt, of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad, Iraq. He was holding an young Iraqi girl in his arms and they both were sleeping.

Insurgents, terrorists, the people we are fighting, executed her entire family and shot her in the head. A U.S. military hospital in Balad treated her, saving her life. The cutline said that Gebhardt is the only person who can calm the girl so he spent several of his nights doing just that.

The people who executed the girls' family, are among the same ones who executed hundreds of Iraqis during Hussein's reign of terror. I wonder, if she were asked, what she would say about why America is fighting in Iraq?

Of course, that is not our problem.

What we will see --

Keith Ellison, America's first Muslim congressman, a Democrat, has let it be known that he will carry a Koran to his swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 4. We will see that, along with no admonition from the press to the Muslin groups attempting to thwart the free speech of those who do not want to see it.

I really do not have a problem with the congressman putting his hand on the Koran when he takes his oath. Others putting their hands on the Bible has obviously not guaranteed truth telling! Also, the whole thing reminds me of what I understand the late Rev. C.H. Spurgeon once said about ordination, that it was the laying on of empty hands on empty heads.

A person putting his hand on the Bible or the Koran very honestly and frankly means nothing. Perhaps it means that when either happens it is simply for show or to make a statement, and a statement that is usually empty.

What the good congressman puts his hands on during his swearing in matters not. That, repeatedly, Christians are being denied their own expressions of free speech while Muslims can cry for the resignation of a radio host because he disagrees with what the congressman wants to do does matter.

Freedom of speech applies to everyone, or at least it should -- not just to Muslims; not just to Christians.