Dear Editor:
Of all the pernicious claptrap emitted by Mark Zappa, James
Brescoll and the other right-wing propagandists in Gilroy, none is
more offensive than smearing liberals, Democrats, progressives,
unionists and environmentalists as non-civic, uncaring and
unpatriotic.
Dear Editor:
Of all the pernicious claptrap emitted by Mark Zappa, James Brescoll and the other right-wing propagandists in Gilroy, none is more offensive than smearing liberals, Democrats, progressives, unionists and environmentalists as non-civic, uncaring and unpatriotic. The portrayal of a group, that despises its own community has allowed conservatives (better known as right-wing extremists) to appropriate the flag, the national anthem, civic pride and other national/civic symbols – the heritage of every Gilroyan – as their movement’s private property, and to misuse those symbols for narrow partisan purposes. To the extremists, anyone who does not pledge allegiance to the Republican platform is a “traitor” and “un-civic.”
The relentless disparagement of liberal patriotism and civic duty by right-wing ideologues is an attempt to punish that commitment to free speech, and an abandonment of traditional American and civic values of fair play and decency. There is nothing truly conservative about the conservatives’ compulsion to divide the city for their own political gain. There is nothing patriotic about perverting the natural love of community into suspicion, bitterness, and hostility. (Strangely, many of the conservatives who seek to inflame hatred against their liberal, Democratic, progressive, unionist and environmentalist neighbors would describe themselves as devout Christians – but then some of our most jingoistic warmongers also claim to be true disciples of the Prince of Peace.)
In an earlier national era, there were Republican statesman, such as the senators who initiated the censure of Joseph McCarthy, who considered such smear tactics contemptible. To those outraged colleagues, McCarthy’s strategy betrayed real patriotism by falsely impugning the loyalty of innocent Americans for monetary personal advantage. The senators who finally stood up against their fellow Republican did so because they realized that his unfounded accusations of disloyalty were eroding national unity, constitutional authority and intellectual freedom – and assisting America’s real enemies.
Many Gilroyans of all persuasions still recognize that challenging an opponent’s civic patriotism is low and thuggish, but others unfortunately do not. It presents an easy way to win an argument, or an election. That is why some of the most aggressive right-wingers cannot resist the temptation to identify liberals, Democrats, progressive, unionist and environmentalists with “the enemy,” whoever that may happen to be at the moment. Everyone who reads, watches television, or listens to the radio has been exposed repeatedly to such venal accusations. The modern mini-McCarthys (Zappas, Springers, Gartmans and Brescolls) are always eager to form a mob, to trample anyone who resists their immediate partisan and/or monetary objectives.
John Reese, Morgan Hill
Submitted Tuesday, Sept. 16 to
ed****@ga****.com
