Dear Editor:
As a casual and occasional reader of this publication, I have been drawn to the Letter to The Editor column. I do so enjoy and find great humor in some of the fact-less right wing fear and hatemongering. I do have to admit, however, at times some of this right wing jabber has gotten under my skin.
Then I remind myself that’s not the Republican Party that I grew up with. Not saying I agreed with everything the Republican Party wanted to do. I knew when push came to shove, those Republicans would sit at the table and attempt to solve the problem. We didn’t always agree on how to get to the answer, but usually an answer could be found. I may not have always agreed with the answer, either, but the process worked. I know there are still some levelheaded Republicans.
It is a shame the far right of the Republican Party has screamed so loud, so long, mainstream Republicans have become afraid to speak up and defend their views. I’m sure the mainstream Republicans that still exist are not bigots or racist, they believe in the rule of law, don’t preach fear and hatemongering. They may disagree on some issues as Democrats see them, but that’s OK. That makes for healthy debates and government.
Don’t get me wrong, I have gone toe to toe with individuals when their rant is based solely on Fox news propaganda backed with not one single truthful fact. Blind obedience to propaganda does irritate me. For example, crisis actors and paid protesters, terms commonly used by the extreme right. Back in 2012, conspiracy theorist James Tracy appears to be one of the first individuals putting forth a theory the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre were crisis actors. This conspiracy theory and term has been pushed and continues by many extreme right propaganda outlets, TruePundit, GatewayPundit and Fox news for examples. Fact, crisis actors do exist, they are hired to act and behave in certain ways during emergency, police and military training. To use this term to try to shame and dishonor high school students that survived a horrifying event in their life is utterly despicable.
The term paid protesters, used by the extreme right, may have originated with former Sheriff David Clarke, when, with no supporting facts, alleged the conspiracy, maybe paid protesters were organized by George Soros.
I have found if I can simply remind myself this babble is intended to irritate, not educate, I can start to find some humor in its ignorance.
Lonnie Larson
Huntley
