Jonas Rushman – 4/15/09

This page was last updated on April 18, 2009.

Hold right-wing pundits responsible; Jonas M. Rushman; Beaver County Times; April 15, 2009.

This is the 11^th letter during the last several 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. In a 2008 letter, Mr. Rushman told us “We have become the USSR.”

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I disagree with the letter writers accusing the Times editorial board of politicizing the Pittsburgh police officers’ deaths. Wednesday’s editorial ‘Terrorists within’ was just stating the facts.

“Yes, this man is obviously disturbed, but he truly believed they were coming to confiscate his assault weapons.

“Now where do you think he may have gotten a crazy idea like that? Straight from every ‘news source’ with a right-wing pundit who since November has been screaming, ‘Obama the socialist is coming for your guns.’

“Do you remember the rush on the gun stores in January? The very same people asserted that after Jan. 20 you will no longer be allowed to purchase a gun or ammunition.”

[RWC] I need to find out which right-wing pundits Mr. Rushman listens to or reads. I listen to several from time to time and none of them claimed “Obama the socialist is coming for your guns.” That said, Mr. Obama is a socialist in practice if not party and his anti-gun positions are well documented in his own words. Are we not to discuss these topics?

“The sad part is, when called on these out-and-out lies, the response is that ‘they’re entertainers.’”

[RWC] I wish lefties would make up their minds. In an effort to undermine their credibility, the left always refers to pundits on the right as entertainers.

“They are entertainers passing off hate-speech as news and fact.”

[RWC] If you’re familiar with Mr. Rushman’s body of work, you have to get a kick out of him complaining about anyone “passing off hate-speech as news and fact.” Mr. Rushman’s letters are full of name-calling and personal attacks. I’d like to know Mr. Rushman’s definition of “hate speech.” I suspect it’s anything with which Mr. Rushman disagrees.

When lefties were writing “fantasies” about assassinating President Bush, I don’t recall Mr. Rushman complaining.

“The more delusional sections of the population may take these people to heart and could possibly answer a policeman’s knock with a hail of gunfire in a misguided belief he is protecting his Second Amendment rights from ‘the socialists.’

[RWC] I get the impression Mr. Rushman doesn’t want to be identified as a socialist.

“If you are experiencing an urgent need to press someone for more responsible journalism, please feel free to contact Fox News.”

[RWC] Ah, the obligatory attack on Fox News.