Post & Riposte

The letter which follows was published in the August 23 edition of the Columbus Dispatch:

Can health-care view define a person?

I have been a board member of the YMCA, a vice president of the United Way and the president of a parent-teacher organization. I thought I was a pretty solid citizen.

However, I have been informed by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California that I am "un-American." Paul Krugman said I was a racist ("Anger aimed at Obama, not at his proposals," Forum column, Aug. 10), and White House officials believe that I am part of an angry mob because of my opposition to President Barack Obama's health-care plan.

BILL BABBITT
New Albany

To this letter, I wrote and submitted the following reply:

Editor,

On August 23 The Dispatch published a brief letter from Bill Babbitt under the headline "Can health-care view define a person?" I offer the following response to Mr. Babbitt's letter as well as to the editor who wrote the headline:

Dear Bill,

It's not your view, but rather the arguments you use to present that view which tell others who and what you are.

If your reasons for opposing President Barack Obama's health-care plan are the unsupported, emotionally-loaded taunts phrased as questions being shouted at town hall meetings, you are indeed a member of an angry mob of un-American racists, despite any and all claims to the contrary and a record of past community involvement.

If you have reasons for your opposition, which are supported by facts, you need to state them in order to dissociate yourself from those who offer none.

George A. Denino