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When I read the headline of Scott Deshefy’s opinion piece ‘Democracy Won’t Keep Pace When Celebrity Justifies Press Attention’, I expected to read something about celebrities getting exaggerated press coverage. There is no mention of this in the article.
Instead Mr. Deshefy correctly points out the evils of McCarthyism and how moderate Republicans helped put an end to it. Then he goes on to compare Trump to McCarthy, indignantly complaining that Trump supporters are ‘attacking his detractors’.
I am not sure what Mr. Deshefy means by ‘attacking’. If it means strongly disagreeing with these detractors orally and in writing, so what? Do these detractors not strongly disagree with Trump in the same ways? If by attacking Trump detractors he means physically, I agree that things like the Jan 6 attacks on the Capitol are not to be tolerated, just as attacks by the left-wing ANTIFA on federal courthouses and their physically attacking lives and property during their riots should not be tolerated. In either case Mr. Deshefy’s opinion piece ignores these intolerable actions by the left.
Where are the moderate Democrats who should be publicly disagreeing with their colleagues who advocate violence? Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said people should “punch Trump in the face.” Rep. Maxine Waters of California also urged activists to physically confront the Trump administration in public places, saying, “You get out and create a crowd. You push back on them. You tell them they are not welcomed anymore or anywhere.” Really? If you supported Trump you should not be welcome anywhere in the US? Of course there was no condemnation of these and similar calls for violence by any Democrat. If President Trump or any Republican had ever said “You get out and create a crowd. You push back on them. You tell them they are not welcomed anymore or anywhere” what would have been the reaction by Mr. Deshefy and the left? How would CNN, MSNBC, the NY Times, etc. have covered this? Do we smell a whiff of hypocrisy?
The left used to have a reputation as the ‘open minded’ side. All opinions were to be considered and evaluated. Now the left are the closed minded side. ‘Disagree with us and we will harm you’ seems to be their credo.
RP Curt
Westbrook, CT