ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603120018
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
* VIRGINIA Republicans' Mr. Manners - state Chairman Pat McSweeney - says it's not nice for GOP moderates to call Pat Buchanan an ``extremist.'' Such language, the chairman warns, could push Buchanan and his followers into launching a third-party bid for the White House. Mr. Manners recommends ``rational, gracious and cordial'' dialogue.
If moderates must give voice to their concerns about Buchanan, perhaps they should simply threaten to ``cut his heart out with a rusty can.'' That was how McSweeney politely described what he'd do to George Allen before he'd let Allen ally Mike Thomas take over as head of the Virginia GOP.
* SPEAKING of uncivil tongues, how is it possible that Louis Farrakhan retains any followers after saying some of the things he has said? During his recent "friendship" tour of Africa and the Middle East, in which he praised Saddam Hussein and cozied up to various other murderous dictators, Farrakhan told a Tehran audience that "God will destroy America by the hands of Muslims."
When informed of a potential congressional inquiry into his trip, the vile Farrakhan challenged his critics to "bring me before Congress so I can ask you how many senators are honorary members of the Israeli Knesset." Jews, he said, have "wrapped their tentacles around the U.S. government." Neither a congressional inquiry nor legal action that might violate Americans' freedoms of speech and travel is needed to show what Farrakhan is, or why he ought to be roundly repudiated.
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB