This page was last updated on February 14, 2011.
Don’t let ‘noise’ drown vital debate; Dr. John H. White; Beaver County Times; February 13, 2011. An editor’s note asserts, “The writer is president emeritus of Geneva College.”
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“My friend, Lonzie Cox Jr., in his letter ‘Don’t be deafened by a noise machine’ (Wednesday) is blinded by his own loyalty.”
[RWC] I didn’t know “loyalty” was a synonym for blind partisanship. Mr. White didn’t tell us to whom Mr. Cox was “loyal.”
“The noise machine in the tragic events in Tucson was begun by the accusations that what motivated Jared Loughner was the right-wing threatening rhetoric. It has been confirmed that there is no evidence that Loughner listened to or was motivated by such rhetoric.”
[RWC] In case you missed it, Mr. White supports Mr. Cox’s notion of “right-wing threatening rhetoric,” just not its role in the Tucson shootings. As Mr. Cox, you’ll note Mr. White made what I call a drive-by accusation and didn’t provide any examples of “the right-wing threatening rhetoric.” While Mr. White concedes the left started the “noise machine” with their baseless allegations, you’ll note he still refers to the right’s defense of itself as “noise.”
“I do not justify the extreme rhetoric of the right, but when these accusations are repeated, it serves to exacerbate the divided in our culture.”
[RWC] Now it’s “extreme rhetoric of the right.” I’m sure it’s an honest oversight – not - Mr. White didn’t mention extreme rhetoric of the left. After all, wouldn’t Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) speaking on the House floor a few weeks ago comparing Republicans to the Nazis qualify as “extreme rhetoric?”
Given dividing people along lines of skin color, sex, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, wealth, income, et cetera into as many “victim” groups as possible is a key leftist tactic, I get a kick out of it when a lefty complains about the right “exacerbat[ing] the divided in our culture.”
“Cox is concerned about justice. I agree, but ask that he and others who might share his views focus in this instance on gun control and care for the mentally sick folks in our society.”
[RWC] Make sure you know how Messrs. Cox and White define “justice.” In general, whenever the left refers to anything with “justice” in the description (“economic justice,” “environmental justice,” “social justice,” et cetera), it involves the government “robbing Peter to pay Paul” (redistribution) to settle some imagined “injustice” and always increases government control at the expense of individual freedom.
“‘Noise’ on either side of the political divide does not help legitimate discussion or debate on these and other vital issues.”
[RWC] This is a nice sentiment, but you’ll note Mr. White didn’t mention leftist “noise” at all in his letter.
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