LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story

When I read Ricky Shehorn’s recent letter [“The Republican pot calling the kettle black,” June 23], I had to chuckle. Back during the George W. Bush era, a political cartoon of a scrawny rooster crowing “Clinton didittoooooo” was a Democratic retort to how Republicans acted when called to task about issues. I understand that many people don’t like Donald Trump and that for their own reasons, they are in lockstep with the platform of the liberal Democratic Party platform. Certainly, I wouldn’t deny anyone that option, even if I didn’t agree or understand it, but I am truly getting tired of the misinformation being spread about a range of issues. Mr. Shehorn uses his entire letter to rationalize results and justify uncivil, even illegal, activities in the name of politics. Not that I don’t agree that both sides need to tone down rhetoric, but it is extremely myopic to imply that Republicans acted anywhere close to the radical leftists during the Obama years. Sure, there was an occasional redneck or malcontent saying stupid things, but the hue and cry of the Republicans quickly distanced themselves from the rhetoric. The examples he uses are just plain fake news. He asks where the GOP was when Democratic Headquarters was firebombed. Actually, Mr. Shehorn, it was the REPUBLICAN Headquarters in North Carolina that was firebombed. At the same time, the Democratic headquarters was vandalized, and both actions were attributed to groups seeking anarchy. As for congressmen’s homes being set afire, an outside grill propane line was cut at the home of a Democrat’s family member after the GOP had aired comments to visit the congressmen and to express their views. The comparison of Sarah Palin showing congressional seats that should be TARGETED would have to stretch the imagination to imply she was seeking physical harm to those individuals. I won’t try to excuse Ted Nugent. He likes the title of “Motor City Madman,” and sometimes, the things that come out of his mouth are off the chart. If you notice, however, he was observant enough to see that he was alienating his own party and has agreed to tone it down. The rest of the comments were pure folderol. There was never a mention about the implications of Senator Tim Kane implying people should reject the president and take to the streets. Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch has tried to back away from her comments about blood in the streets. You can take those comments for what they’re worth, but I defy you to rationalize “The Resistance” or the roaming group of thugs going by “Antifa.” Not one single Hillary Clinton rally was ever interrupted by a Donald Trump fan. Not a single Trump fan ever tried to storm the stage, either. No GOP comedian ever held up an effigy of a severed head or an actor who wondered when the last time an actor had killed a president. No state member of the GOP ever openly stated that he wished a congressman had been killed. I don’t recall any GOP voter even hinting of moving to Canada if Obama was elected. More than anything, however, it always irks me to no end when a member of the party who insisted that God be removed from all public places, taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance, removed from all government monuments, or named in any public addresses to schoolchildren would stoop to quote Scripture to me. Perhaps it might have been easier to find had Mr. Shehorn looked at the most hallowed of Jewish and Christian tenets this nation was founded on: The Ten Commandments. Number Five says that thou shalt not murder, number eight says that thou shalt not bear false witness, and the final one is that thou shalt not covet anything that is they neighbor’s. The beauty of the Bible is that if you look for truth, it’s readily seen. If you look for excuses, you may have to read awhile and manipulate the meanings.

George Roof Magnolia