I really had to write in reference to Kevin O'Brien's ironic column of Nov. 26, in which he commented on the importance of truth in journalism, and the few letters to the editor of Nov. 27 and 28, calling him "spot on" and decrying the "government" and "liberals" who are trying to squelch him. Fear not, O'Brien is the deputy editorial page editor; he's not going anywhere.
I would like to suggest to moderate Republicans that the GOP is being hijacked -- swift-boated, if you will -- by people who are neither journalists nor truthful. We are in far more danger of losing our freedoms because of the machinations of the Republican Party and its silent condoning of the takeover of our media by the conservative right: Between Clear Channel Stations on radio (heck, you can't even hear sports-talk radio without a diatribe about Democrats from the host) across the country -- with deregulation, just how many channels is this? (Three companies own half the radio stations); TV (as in Fox News Cable); and newspapers (Murdock-owned -- as well as the radio stations he owns), I would say that there is an awful lot of media slanted to the right. All-conservative, all-the-time. No dissenting voices for a well-balanced dialogue. Haven't you noticed?
They work people into a lather about misinformation. WMDs are just a tip of the iceberg. Think "birthers" and "death panels." Now the Republicans have a list of do's and don'ts for their candidates to follow in order to be backed for their runs for office.
Republicans may think they look as if they are presenting a united front, but to me they look like they are lock-stepped and can only do something for the "good of the party." How very communistic!
And if the only purpose of their party is to block Democratic initiatives, then they don't have the good of the citizens in mind. Can't Republicans think for themselves? Very dangerous!
Fellow readers, we need to fact-check everything.
Rita Rose, Mentor
http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2009/12/republican_party_has_been_hija.html
Related: Change Blindness: Research and History Show Americans are as Blind to US Fascism as Nazi-Era Germans
