When I learned that a part of Mike Huckabee’s response to Osama Bin Laden’s death was “Welcome to hell, bin Laden”, I thought it was a joke or a misquote or a line from a Toby Keith song. Since it’s “Restore Unity” week, I’m really trying to give people the benefit of the doubt.

But unfortunately, Huckabee did actually verbally welcome bin Laden to hell. So the quote was attributed correctly. But again, it’s “Everybody Sleep in the Same Bed and Like it” week, so I wasn’t ready to throw off the covers just yet.

Maybe he said it in a moment of shock, I thought. We all say things we wish we hadn’t sometimes. Perhaps the words slipped out in a private conversation and the wrong person–one of those God-hating liberals perhaps–heard the sentiment and decided to quote him.

But I was wrong again. Not only did Huckabee say the words, he put the phrase in an official letter to his faithful supporters.

Here’s the letter that Mike wrote to his Huckabites…

It is unusual to celebrate a death, but today Americans and decent people the world over cheer the news that madman, murderer and terrorist Osama Bin Laden is dead. The leader of Al Qaeda— responsible for the deaths of 3000 innocent citizens on September 11, 2001, and whose maniacal hate is responsible for the deaths of thousands of US servicemen and women was killed by U.S. military. President Obama confirmed the announcement late last night. DNA tests confirmed his death and his body is in the possession of the U. S.It has taken a long time for this monster to be brought to justice. Welcome to hell, bin Laden. Let us all hope that his demise will serve notice to Islamic radicals the world over that the United States will be relentless in tracking down and terminating those who would inflict terror, mayhem and death on any of our citizens. SOURCE

Okay, so this letter begs the question: Is Mike Huckabee in hell?

I wouldn’t think you’d be on the welcoming committee for hell if you didn’t live there or visit from time to time, maybe to get your next assignment or something? Maybe I’m wrong about the proper usage of the word “welcome” (and you can correct me if I’m wrong), but I don’t think you can actually “welcome” somebody to a place where you don’t live or exist or at the very least, occasionally visit. Does Mike make frequent visits to hell?

Or… does Mike think Arkansas is hell? And if so, I must ask: has he been to West Texas? Or Atlantic City?

All I know is this: If you arrived in Bermuda, I would never think of offering you a Bermuda welcome from Nashville? The only exception might be this: If I’d visited Bermuda many times and knew it to be a place of perfection, I could see me saying something like, “welcome to paradise”. But even then, I wouldn’t say it without cringing a bit or wondering if you think I’m an idiot or stalking you in Bermuda.

Yes, I’m overreacting and making a big deal out of nothing. So he welcomed Osama to hell. Who cares, right? People living in hell might care. I just think that, welcoming somebody to hell, when you aren’t in fact in hell (and not to mention, you’re not completely certain that the individual you’re welcoming is indeed in hell) doesn’t seem like the brightest thing to do (and a bit passive aggressive).Well… unless you live in hell or rule over it.

**Thanks to Daniel for sending me this link…