Who Is Stoking Paranoia?

Sometimes I read a letter in the Columbian’s Letters To The Editors page that is just so over the top I have to respond and point out some obvious projections of the writer.

One such letter appears in the Sunday October 4 edition,

Paranoia stoked by the right

It seems like every time I open the letters to the editor page, I see some drivel from the radical right wing of the Republican Party. Right-wing writers keep trying to define liberals according to their principles. The problem is, the right wing doesn't have any principles. They still support the Bush administration that almost ruined our nation.

Now we have the argument over reform of our health care system. This is what defines the Republicans perfectly. Our health care system is not breaking — it is already broken and they don't want to fix it. Never mind the millions of people who have no coverage. The right wing of the Republican Party couldn't care less.

Racism, Nazi flags at Democratic town halls, the "birthers" who don't think President Obama is president, and racist cartoons are just a few of the things that defines the Republican Party and their reactionaries. These people prey on the weak-minded and the elderly in suggesting "death panels." I believe most right-wing Republicans suffer from paranoia and pass it on to people who listen to hacks like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. They have used fear for a decade to fool the American people. Low morals and hypocrisy define the right wing.

Frank Wastradowski

Fortunately for Mr. Wastradowski, freedom of speech gives him the right to be as ignorant and uninformed as he chooses to be. If his name seems familiar, he is the man who cried victim of Hate Crime last year when his car was vandalized, although every other Obama supporter in the neighborhood was left untouched.

From the tone of Wastradowski’s letter, the one with the hate becomes very apparent.

Let’s look closer at some of Wastradowski’s claims,

1. Right-wing writers keep trying to define liberals according to their principles. The problem is, the right wing doesn't have any principles.

Who keeps defining whom? Did he not just write a letter defining Republicans according to his perception?

And, “no principles?” Are we not he ones who want our Immigration laws respected?

Are we not the ones who wish to see life preserved and given a chance? Are we not the ones who support fighting those that have been attacking us for three decades?

Study after study has shown that it is those of us he considers “the radical right wing of the Republican Party” that consistently donates more time and money to charity than does the more liberal in our society.

And, we are the ones without principles?

2. They still support the Bush administration that almost ruined our nation.

And, who engaged in 8 years of “fearmongering” to convince everyone that Bush ruined the nation? While we don’t think of Bush as the greatest ever, he did try to do much more than he ever received credit for.

It was Bush who in 2003 tried to head off the fiasco we see in our economy today by reigning in the Fannie Mae Freddie Mac debacle, blocked by prominent Democrats who said there was no building problem then.

There is much he could have done different, but does that excuse our deficit now being raised to more than in our entire history, borrowing billions and billions of dollars from countries that have no love of us?

Does it excuse government taking over control of Wall Street, Banks, the Auto Industry and more?

Isn’t that what communism did?

3. Our health care system is not breaking — it is already broken and they don't want to fix it. Never mind the millions of people who have no coverage. The right wing of the Republican Party couldn't care less.

Obviously, it escapes Mr. Wastradowski that many of those without health insurance DON”T WANT IT!” They could afford it but choose to spend their money elsewhere.

And for those who don’t want it, they face possible fines and imprisonment for not purchasing what those like Wastradowski say they must have?

And, “the Republican Party couldn’t care less?”

With all due respect, Mr. Wastradowski, Google HR 3400 and read it. Google how many times Republicans have submitted amendments and ideas in what is supposed to be a “bi-partisan” effort at reforming healthcare and then explain why every single one of the is blocked, denied or dies in committee.

Obviously, to Democrats and Mr. Wastradowski, “bi-partisan” means you must give up your thoughts, ideas and yes, principles and blindly agree to what Democrats want.

4. Racism, Nazi flags at Democratic town halls, the "birthers" who don't think President Obama is president, and racist cartoons are just a few of the things that defines the Republican Party and their reactionaries.

Aw yes, the old tried and true “race card,” how typical of a radical left-winger.

Democratic townhalls? I thought they were “community” townhalls open to anyone from the community?

Sorry, but I see no waving of nazi flags, but I did see photos of Obama with a Hitler moustache, being held and passed out by members of the Lyndon LaRouche Society, a “left-winged Democratic” group.

Why worry about the so-called “birthers” when the matter could be easily put to rest by simply showing the long form birth certificate, as was demanded of and supplied by John McCain?

Then again, does Mr. Wastradowski refute the “911 Truthers” who still maintain George W. Bush planned and carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks and not the radical Jihadists?

And, racist cartoons? Where was Mr. Wastradowski when Black Republicans were viciously attacked for stepping off the liberal plantation?

Where was he when liberals depicted Michael Steele, chairman of the RNC as a “Simple Sambo” with a blackened minstrel-style face, nappy hair and big, think red lips?

Where was he when Condoleezza Rice was depicted by Democrat cartoonists as an ignorant, barefoot “mammy” saying “I don't know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ no babies?”

5. These people prey on the weak-minded and the elderly in suggesting “death panels.”

I recall a time when saying “these people” was considered racist.

But, death panels? Yes, the words were stated and with reason. Perhaps the booklet “Your Life Your Choices” hasn’t made it to Wastradowski’s mail yet.

Perhaps he shut his ears when Obama was making the speech and said words to the effect of “maybe grandma would be better off taking the pain killer instead of getting the surgery.”

What would he label the deep cuts proposed in Medicare and Medicaid in the proposed healthcare bill?

Who is it currently crying thousands are dying in the streets because they have no health insurance? Who makes speeches twisting and distorting stories of mishaps with health insurance?

What does he think of the current proposal of taxing medical devices used primarily by the elderly such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, pace makers, artificial hips and such that cost over $100?

With such a proposal as that, who is really “preying upon the elderly?”

6. I believe most right-wing Republicans suffer from paranoia and pass it on to people who listen to hacks like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. They have used fear for a decade to fool the American people.

Fortunately, there is no law against thinking or believing, not yet.

But using fear? Who kept up for 8 years telling how Bush was destroying the nation? Who for 8 years cried that Bush was causing terrorism? Who for decades now cries about Global Warming/cooling/climate change, whatever the cry is today?

Who is it that keeps crying gloom and doom if we don’t do exactly as they say we should, while they continue a ‘high on the hog’ lifestyle?

Who is it that wants more and more of our paychecks to pay for their luxuries and for us to do without, “to save the planet?”

While many of us don’t really listen much to Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, it is obvious that Mr. Wastradowski listens too much to the likes of Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes.

7. Low morals and hypocrisy define the right wing.

Is that why Duke Cunningham sits in jail while William Jefferson, Barney Frank, Charlie Rangel, John Murtha and more are free?

Is that why Mark Foley and Richard Curtis are no longer in office while Barney Frank and Sam Adams still are?

Is that why liberals are flocking to the defense of Roman Polanski for raping a 13 year-old and fleeing justice for over three decades?

It still bothers me that someone vandalized the Wastradowski’s car last year. I am pleased the community came together to donate to have it repaired. I suppose it never occurred to Mr. Wastradowski that some of those very people he labels as “the radical right wing of the Republican Party” also donated money and quite possibly were some who worked on repairing it.

But, reading this letter and seeing the tone, I wonder now if last years vandalism might not have been somewhat of an inside job?

It must escape Mr. Wastradowski that his party, the Democrats, currently hold not just a majority in the House, but a dominant majority, they have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and the White House to boot. They have all the cards and yet, somehow, it is the Republicans stopping anything from getting done.

I guess one thing Rush says is right, that even with all the cards and able to push through anything they wish, by themselves without any Republican votes, they only know how to play victim.

It’s always the Republicans fault.

To Mr. Wastradowski I can only say, seek some anger management classes. Just because we disagree with you and Obama doesn’t make us the scum of the earth or the enemy.

If you desire to be lead around like cattle heading off to slaughter by the current administration, go for it, that’s your right.

But many of the rest of us desire to maintain our freedom and liberties.