Jonas Rushman – 10/29/06

This page was last updated on November 2, 2006.

Hate is not a family value; Jonas M. Rushman; Beaver County Times; October 29, 2006.

This is the sixth letter during the last couple of years I’ve noticed from Mr. Rushman. In addition to being a consistent Bush basher, two of those letters claimed there is no liberal bias in the media and that “Fahrenheit 9/11” is a good source of documented facts.

I responded to Mr. Rushman in a letter to the editor and it’s shown at the end of the critique. The Times published the letter on November 1^st under the title “Put glass house up for sale.”

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“In trying to keep an open mind, I read opinion columns from all sources, not just those with whom I happen to agree.

“I have noticed with unwavering regularity the outright hatred Ann Coulter displays for all things non-Republican. I have no issue with opposing points of view because open discourse is one of the very cornerstones of our democracy, regardless of what the White House would have you believe.

“However, Coulter invariably resorts to name-calling and personal attacks on anyone not in lock goose-step with the Republican National Committee.”

[RWC] Note Mr. Rushman wrote nothing about the people who try to shout Ms. Coulter down and – failing that – physically attack her onstage. A speaker for The Minuteman Project at Columbia University recently received the same treatment.

The comment about “name-calling and personal attacks” coming from Mr. Rushman is hilarious. Among other things, Mr. Rushman’s letters over the past two+ years referred to Republicans as “apologists,” liars, “loonies,” “morally bankrupt,” “propagandists,” and called President Bush a deserter. Sounds like “name-calling and personal attacks” to me.

Mr. Rushman isn’t alone among his fellow travelers, of course.

Last year, Vince Avedon told us a 17-year-old who expressed interest in joining the Marines “was probably brought up to be a two-faced traitor to his country just like his mother.”

In 2002, Nikola Drobac expressed hope he would be able to laugh as all Republicans face financial ruin in retirement.

“Sadly, she is not a lone voice in the wilderness. Rush Limbaugh, Don Imus and Tucker Carlson are cast in the same mold. If you don’t agree with someone and have no facts to back up your position, don’t demonize them and belittle them.”

[RWC] Is Mr. Rushman kidding? As noted above, Mr. Rushman’s letters routinely demonize President Bush and belittle anyone who supports non-liberal positions. Further, though his letters usually accuse a Republican of some nefarious deed, Mr. Rushman neglects to present credible “facts to back up [his] position,” unless you consider “Fahrenheit 9/11” and the like to be credible sources of information.

Did you notice Mr. Rushman failed to include Al Franken, Janeane Garafolo, Keith Olbermann, Randy Rhodes, et cetera?

“I find this behavior reprehensible as well as hypocritical coming from the party that preached family values and vowed to bring civility back to politics. For the young and impressionable readers and viewers of this tripe, please remember this: Hate is not a family value.”

[RWC] Perhaps Mr. Rushman should sell his glass house before he throws rocks at others for their “name-calling and personal attacks.”

Here’s the letter to the editor I mentioned above as I submitted it. I entitled the letter “Glass houses.”

Jonas Rushman’s letter (“Hate is not a family value”, October 29^th) criticizing pundits for alleged “hatred” gave me a good laugh. Mr. Rushman told us “name-calling and personal attacks” upset him.

While Mr. Rushman didn’t like Ann Coulter’s words, he wrote nothing about the people who try to shout her down and – failing that – physically attack her onstage. A speaker for The Minuteman Project at Columbia University recently received the same treatment.

Among other things, Mr. Rushman’s letters over the past two+ years referred to Republicans as “apologists,” liars, “loonies,” “morally bankrupt,” “propagandists,” and called President Bush a deserter. Sounds like “name-calling and personal attacks” to me.

Mr. Rushman isn’t alone among his fellow travelers, of course.

Last year, a letter writer told us a 17-year-old who expressed interest in joining the Marines “was probably brought up to be a two-faced traitor to his country just like his mother.”

In 2002, another writer expressed hope he would be able to laugh as all Republicans face financial ruin in retirement.

You don’t need old newspapers to find talk like the above; there are usually multiple examples per week.

Another chuckle source was Mr. Rushman’s admonition, “If you don’t agree with someone and have no facts to back up your position, don’t demonize them and belittle them.”

Is Mr. Rushman kidding? As noted above, Mr. Rushman’s letters routinely demonize President Bush and belittle anyone who supports non-liberal positions. Further, though his letters usually accuse a Republican of some nefarious deed, Mr. Rushman neglects to present credible “facts to back up [his] position.”

Perhaps Mr. Rushman should sell his glass house before he throws rocks at others for their “name-calling and personal attacks.”