Corvallis Gazette-Times, Letters to the Editor, Monday, October 29, 2007
Mocking liberals disrespects America’s proudest patriots
Gordon L. Shadle’s mockery of dissenters and minorities (Letters, Oct. 22nd ) revealed less about his sense of humor than his disregard for history.
His sarcastic words denigrate the memory of patriots such as James Otis, Sam Adams and Tom Paine; dissenters who dragged a reluctant majority to the realization that Americans must determine their own destiny.
His words dismiss Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony; liberal dissenters who withstood blistering abuse from the majority to bring women the right to vote.
His words ridicule Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips; radical abolitionists who knew what the vast majority of Americans refused to acknowledge — that slavery was wrong and must be stopped.
Finally, his words sneer at all who sacrificed their livelihoods and lives for labor reform, social justice and civil rights, including thousands of African Americans lynched for standing up to a vicious and very conservative majority.
Apparently some conservatives like Shadle find it fulfilling to mock the enormous contributions of dissenters and minorities. I shudder to think what our nation would be like without them.
Joe Fulton
Kings Valley
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