dick einhorn - liberal traitors

From: RichardEin@aol.com
Date: Friday, October 5, 2001 8:47 AM

Hi, Eve,

As you know, or could have guessed, right wing rhetoric has become a bit superheated as of late. However, the following type of nastiness may have escaped your attention, which, imo, crosses a line.

I thought you might want to consider posting this to your web page full of comments. Let me explain the origin of my comments. On a bulletin board (unicornation.com, a motu group with a politics subtopic), I've taken on the not-so-enviable task of batting back some Republican-inspired bromides that are, on occasion, posted. It has been, on the whole, a rather gleeful job. Let's face it, George Bush is a sitting duck (I know: that's unfair to ducks).

One of the more upsetting accusations is the present one made by one of the participants (in bold). With NY Post's commentator Steve Dunleavy's column and John Podhoretz's personalized filth ringing in my mind, I decided the time had come to take off one finger of one glove, verbally. Hence, this exchange.

Feel free to post or not. Feel free to pass on or not. Feel free to disagree. Feel free.

Man oh man. Sept 11 wasn't supposed to be on anyone's dance card.

terve,
riku

Excerpt from comments by a politcs forum participant at unicornation.com

In fact liberals tend to throw out insults and try to smear people based on innuendo (Bush is stupid, etc.) or try to paint anyone who has a different view point as a racist, homophobe, bigot, zealot, or some other slur designed to make others discount a point of view before it's ever been heard.

My reply.

Sure, both conservatives and liberals tend to belittle each other. But the following crosses the line into... well you'll see.

Just, two days ago, I opened up the New York Post and read this lead to a column by Steve Dunleavy:

""IT IS amazing how liberals, whom I regard as traitors in this time of crisis...

This is not out of context. Here's the whole column:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10022001/commentary/5482.htm

Talk about throwing out insults! Talk about smearing people! Talk about painting people with a different view point!

For the record:

I am an American.

I am a liberal.

I am not a traitor.

As you know, traitors are shut up, locked up and killed (remember the Rosenbergs?).

Shut me up because, as a liberal , I oppose any efforts by John Ashcroft of the Bush administration to ram through legislation that pointlessly restricts my right to privacy.

Lock me up because, as a liberal, I am opposed to any military involvement whose purpose is not directly related to the defense of this country.

Kill me because, as a liberal, I am appalled at the sheer incompetence of our security infrastructure, at the refusal of those responsibile to take responsibility, and at the bald attempts to cover their ineptitude.

I could go on, but you get the idea. This is very, very scary stuff.

Do I expect, realistically, to be shot for advocating gay marriage? Of course not. But threats have a chilling effect on discourse and numerous conservative columns have made the point that that is exactly why they are threatening people, in order to shut them up and stifle dissent. And it's working: there have been numerous recent firings of presumed liberal "traitors".

The column quoted above is not the only one by any means. Among others, there's the inimitable Ann (kill and convert) Coulter, who was too bizarre even for National Review (but not for Drudge). There's Post columnist John Podhoretz, who responded with an email laced with obscenities when I wrote him about his Susan Sontag smear. Heaven knows what Rush Limbaugh is saying.

Now I know you don't think I'm a traitor. But the next time, please think twice about advancing the "liberals like to use mean names" argument. Remember that at least one conservative with an important media outlet is reckless enough to regard Richard Einhorn and his friends and his intellectual influences as traitors to the country and the people they love.

He is so wrong. It makes me weep to think how wrong he is.


	From: RichardEin@aol.com Date: Friday, October 5, 2001 8:47 AM Hi, Eve, As you know, or could have guessed, right wing rhetoric has become a bit superheated as of late. However, the following type of nastiness may have escaped your attention, which, imo, crosses a line. I thought you might want to consider posting this to your web page full of comments. Let me explain the origin of my comments. On a bulletin board (unicornation.com, a motu group with a politics subtopic), I've taken on the not-so-enviable task of batting back some Republican-inspired bromides that are, on occasion, posted. It has been, on the whole, a rather gleeful job. Let's face it, George Bush is a sitting duck (I know: that's unfair to ducks). One of the more upsetting accusations is the present one made by one of the participants (in bold). With NY Post's commentator Steve Dunleavy's column and John Podhoretz's personalized filth ringing in my mind, I decided the time had come to take off one finger of one glove, verbally. Hence, this exchange. Feel free to post or not. Feel free to pass on or not. Feel free to disagree. Feel free. Man oh man. Sept 11 wasn't supposed to be on anyone's dance card. terve, riku Excerpt from comments by a politcs forum participant at unicornation.com In fact liberals tend to throw out insults and try to smear people based on innuendo (Bush is stupid, etc.) or try to paint anyone who has a different view point as a racist, homophobe, bigot, zealot, or some other slur designed to make others discount a point of view before it's ever been heard. My reply. Sure, both conservatives and liberals tend to belittle each other. But the following crosses the line into... well you'll see. Just, two days ago, I opened up the New York Post and read this lead to a column by Steve Dunleavy: ""IT IS amazing how liberals, whom I regard as traitors in this time of crisis... This is not out of context. Here's the whole column: http://www.nypost.com/seven/10022001/commentary/5482.htm Talk about throwing out insults! Talk about smearing people! Talk about painting people with a different view point! For the record: I am an American. I am a liberal. I am not a traitor. As you know, traitors are shut up, locked up and killed (remember the Rosenbergs?). Shut me up because, as a liberal , I oppose any efforts by John Ashcroft of the Bush administration to ram through legislation that pointlessly restricts my right to privacy. Lock me up because, as a liberal, I am opposed to any military involvement whose purpose is not directly related to the defense of this country. Kill me because, as a liberal, I am appalled at the sheer incompetence of our security infrastructure, at the refusal of those responsibile to take responsibility, and at the bald attempts to cover their ineptitude. I could go on, but you get the idea. This is very, very scary stuff. Do I expect, realistically, to be shot for advocating gay marriage? Of course not. But threats have a chilling effect on discourse and numerous conservative columns have made the point that that is exactly why they are threatening people, in order to shut them up and stifle dissent. And it's working: there have been numerous recent firings of presumed liberal "traitors". The column quoted above is not the only one by any means. Among others, there's the inimitable Ann (kill and convert) Coulter, who was too bizarre even for National Review (but not for Drudge). There's Post columnist John Podhoretz, who responded with an email laced with obscenities when I wrote him about his Susan Sontag smear. Heaven knows what Rush Limbaugh is saying. Now I know you don't think I'm a traitor. But the next time, please think twice about advancing the "liberals like to use mean names" argument. Remember that at least one conservative with an important media outlet is reckless enough to regard Richard Einhorn and his friends and his intellectual influences as traitors to the country and the people they love. He is so wrong. It makes me weep to think how wrong he is.
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