THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503030020
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
For a long while, the extreme left held center stage; and I can think of little good that came from its actions. More recently, the extreme right has taken control of the spotlight; and I must say that I am more disturbed by its tactics and actions than ever before.
On the political scene, demagogues such as Phil Gramm, Jesse Helms, Al DaMato, and Newt Gingrich have used their positions to hurl invective at anyone who chooses not to agree with them.
The airwaves are filled with inflammatory rhetoric from the despicable Rush Limbaugh types whose goal is not to inform but to agitate and aggravate. Any sincere effort to shake citizens out of their lethargy and motivate them to take actions for the betterment of our society is admirable; but the use of half-truths and outright lies to turn friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor, family member against family member, etc., is disgraceful and harmful to our nation.
A highly visible leader of the so-called religious right uses his pulpit, radio, TV and the United Postal Service to circulate grave, unsubstantiated charges against the president of our nation. As a Christian who believes that among faith, hope and love, the greatest of these is love, I must ask: Where is the love in all of the foregoing?
SAM H. WALLACE
Portsmouth, Feb. 21, 1995 by CNB