Lynn Coleman Gardner – 10/16/08

This page was last updated on October 18, 2008.

Tone degrades our society; Lynn Coleman Gardner; Beaver County Times; October 16, 2008.

Previous letters from Ms. Gardner are here, here, here, and here. Ms. Gardner first expressed her support for Barack Obama in “Let the truth prevail.”

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“I’ve watched the presidential and vice presidential debates in full. What has become so terribly troubling is the nasty mudslinging, the bitterness, the negativity and the he-said, she-said accusations.

“It degrades our society. You hate to see younger generations observe such cruelty. It sets no good, solid moral values.”

[RWC] Yet this alleged concern didn’t stop Ms. Gardner from including “nasty mudslinging, the bitterness, the negativity and the he-said, she-said accusations” in previous letters or endorsing similar letters from others. As I’ve written before, many of us can’t see in ourselves what we see in others.

“This is the most important presidential race ever. I chose Sen. Barack Obama before the debates and have never doubted my decision. I chose him not because of the color of his skin but by the content of his character. I believe he’s a respectable man of his word.”

[RWC] Actually, Ms. Gardner “chose Sen. Barack Obama” long “before the debates.” As noted above, Ms. Gardner chose Mr. Obama long before the Democrat primaries were over.

Note: When a person says something like “I chose him not because of the color of his skin but by the content of his character,” I find the opposite is usually true. If race weren’t an issue, why mention it?

“As his running mate, he chose Sen. Joe Biden, another respectable person who is for the middle-class working people struggling to make ends meet. I respect their policies, and I’ve read up on their backgrounds.

“Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin aren’t my cups of coffee, if you will.”

[RWC] Neither was Hillary Clinton or the rest of the Democrat candidates.

“I have chosen not to watch the upcoming fourth debate or spend time on the televised backbiting in the media by the two parties. Time is of the essence and life is too short to be troubled by such chaos.

“People have the right to their opinions and choices, and I faithfully sticking to my choice of Obama and Biden.”

[RWC] There’s nothing wrong with making your choice and not watching the debates. Given the differences in core principles between candidates once you get this far, I’m not sure how a debate result can change a person’s mind unless he has no rudder (core principles) to guide his choices.