MSM Revealed? Confirmed? Consistent? The Same as Always

Dear Editor(This is another letter to the Editor of the RhinoTimes),

Several weeks ago the editorial page of the News & Record had a cartoon, which I found insulting and condescending. The top caption was “Planning for the future,” under it were two panels. The left-hand side showed a group of scientists engaging in research. This panel was labeled “California.” The right-hand panel showed people playing slot machines. This was labeled “Moral States.” I don’t know how big D Democrats came to believe in their moral and intellectual superiority. I do know that I am really tired of it. Democrats should remember that a large section of their state’s voters also voted Republican.

I decided to see just how “wacky” a letter could be and still be published in the News & Record. Below is my letter, which was published by that paper. I have outlined each sentence in italics, and then provided a critique of it. Here we go:

Kudos to Williamson for his cartoon of Nov. 12 of the editorial page. This is the bait line to get their attention.

It is appalling that the cultural, social and scientific elite of this country are suppressed by Bush’s supporters. This outlines how the Democrats see themselves.

Minority States like North and South Dakota, and Wyoming, have absurdly exaggerated power in the Senate. An attack on one of the main balances of our Constitution, to ensure that the most populous states do not become totally dominant.

The influences of social and religious traditionalists are pulling us down. This assumes that these are always negative influences on progress, not a fact borne out in history.

They prevent us from taking our proper place with other advanced societies in Europe. This assumes American cultural inferiority, an idea which has dogged us for decades.

It is time for a new amendment to the Constitution, stripping these backward states of their second senators, and adding them to the more sophisticated and populous states of the Northeast, California and Oregon. A constitutional amendment would require these minority states to vote against their own interests. The Congress is deliberately balanced by the House of Representatives, which adds more members to each state as its population grows, and the Senate. The Senate’s function is to allow each state an equal say in legislation.

The latest election makes us long for a return to the old oligarchic city-states of Greek civilization. An oligarchy is rule by a small group of people, and usually a precursor to dictatorship.

So that was the letter. An embarrassing collection of antidemocratic ravings. Factually absurd and illogical. I can only wonder why the News & Record would publish it. Except for the fact that it “sounds” like left-wing propaganda. No rebuttals showed up on the editorial page, from right or left. It was fun anyway.

Ed Philpott