Shame on the Columbus Dispatch

This cartoon appeared on the editorial page of the March 26 Columbus Dispatch.

In response, I sent the following letter to the editor.

Editor,

I strongly object to Jeff Stahler's editorial cartoon which appeared in the March 26 Dispatch. It shows a rock labeled "CHANGE" lying on the floor of the Oval Office, a broken window through which it had been thrown, and a man telling President Obama, "Another message for you, sir."

With this cartoon, Mr. Stahler, who also draws the "Moderately Confused" panel which appears on the comics page, has shown that he is quite a bit more than moderately confused.

The call for change in America is coming from the political left. The rocks, bricks, and other items which have been thrown through windows since the passage of health care reform legislation have come exclusively from members of the political right. Their representatives have voted 100% against change, and they have been inciting and endorsing violence since last August and then disingenuously denying any responsibility when it occurs.

By running this cartoon, you have cast your lot with a group of bullies who are very good at spreading misinformation and quite willing to abandon the rule of law whenever they don't get their way. 

Shame on you.

George A. Denino 

I'm not expecting my letter to be published. After all, the editorial board of the Dispatch dances to the tune played by the Ohio Republican party bosses. 

Compare the shallow and misleading Stahler cartoon with the same day's insightful and factually accurate effort from Stuart Carlson.

Hoist With Their Own Petard

It's been a while since I posted anything. 

Truth be told, I have found it almost impossible to find words which adequately express my revulsion at seeing the members of the once-proud Party of Lincoln beat the drum of simplistic populism in an odious attempt to destroy the presidency of Barack Obama through a campaign of thinly-veiled bigotry parading as patriotism.

But the passage of health care reform legislation suggests that the use of such tactics offers no guarantee of either political or popular success.

To be sure, the legislation is imperfect, and the process was messy. However, that is a testament to the strength, not the weakness, of a country whose population is so diverse as to merit being called The Melting Pot.

Americans may be dumb, but they're not stupid. Like all humans, they want the assurance of permanent ease promised in the simplistic myths spun by their self-serving leaders. Eventually, however, they recognize that the path to truth and genuine freedom demands not their blind adherence to the norms of the past but a leap of faith to the promise of a better though uncertain future.

Those who have learned this lesson are speaking out on behalf of that promise, and their voices offer a clear, eloquent, and intelligent contrast to the words of derision and divisiveness embraced by the fear and hate-mongers of the radical right.