Robert Fiedler’s 595-word response (Oct. 30) to my 57-word letter (Oct. 28) was a masterpiece of argumentum ad hominem -- attacking the man, not what he wrote. Before revealing details about that, let me clarify one thing.
I did not write the headline “Obama and Hitler similar” that appeared above my letter -- nor would I. If anything, it served to divert attention from the point I was making, namely, that if we elect a president who is long on charisma but short on qualifications we might end up as the Germans did in the 1930s.
Mr. Fiedler’s “From the Left” essay is a remarkable demonstration of how the left consistently substitutes emotion for reason. A re-reading will disclose there is not a single fact offered nor a solitary argument advanced in opposition to anything I wrote.
Not one.
It does, however, paint a vivid picture of a lurking ghoul named Carl Greene.
According to Fiedler, I am perceived to be ignorant, (quite possibly) dangerous, a hate-filled man and vermin.
On that last point I realize that Fiedler implied I was vermin, then reversed course and said it was just an analogy. But at the end of his piece he implied I was vermin once again. I must conclude that two implications, but only one disclaimer, means he called me a cockroach -- or worse -- at least once.
Finally, sputtering to the end of his paroxysm, he has yet another opportunity to actually refute something I wrote -- the business about stocking guns and ammo or Qurans and prayer rugs.
But, in true liberal fashion, he continues to attack the man rather than the writing. He calls my comments “pitiful” but doesn’t say why, nor does he attempt to dispute them. Why not?
Likely because he can’t. And besides, it’s a lot more monkey-fun to smugly claim that a wall-dweller has unmasked himself than to try to defeat his ideas.
Mr. Fiedler: a personal attack proves nothing except the attacker’s intellectual bankruptcy.
Here’s a homework assignment for readers who supported Barack Obama. Google the names William (Bill) Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Bernardine Dohrn, Rashid Khalidi, Raila Odinga, Louis Farrakhan, Tony Rezko and Frank Marshall Davis. You’ll be scrutinizing our new president’s close friends and mentors for maybe a month -- if you’re a speed reader.
Then, if you still feel comfortable with Obama in any public office, please accept my best wishes for your future and my fervent hope that Robert Fiedler will invite you to dinner.
Carl Greene lives in Nixa
