My last column pleased some readers while angering others. So I got lots of email. There was a commonality in the angry ones who always started by calling me a racist. Then they labeled me an extreme Republican Fox News wacko. Sorry, I am neither a Republican nor a Fox News viewer.
Typical was: “You miserable misleading republican bigot racist moron.”
For some reason they make it personal. Some even slurred my dog Conrad. He did not mind and replied, “To know me is to love me, I must be a helleva dog…” Conrad stole that from a Mac Davis song. But it is true.
And I am fine with personal attacks. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher noted, “I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”
Very few of the angry ones did more than call me vile names. A couple of readers did mention the arguments in my column. For that I am grateful. I agreed with one that I should not call the president names. That does not mean I should not oppose his actions.
Some who wrote were tickled I said what they had been thinking. Great! But others called me a poopy head. They shouted as loud as they could (in writing) but did not take on my concern that this president had been acting in a mean-spirited manner.
Most who communicated via email just threw down the racist label as if all who oppose our president can be labeled as doing it for racist reasons. Having the first president of African-American heritage was supposed to heal our racial wounds, not exacerbate them. If we cannot criticize this president then I am sorry he was elected because it is one of the great activities of free men and women to boo the president.
We are getting to a strange place in politics where the first thing out of people’s mouths is to call someone a racist. Racism has largely been subdued in our society so that any real racism is dealt with swiftly and with overwhelming force. This is not a racist society any longer. We Americans do have a past that is the cause for much shame. But that has ended.
The name calling used to be different. For example: a woman was upset with something I said on my talk radio program a few years ago. She called in to smack me around. She said, “You Big. Fat. Old. Ugly. Bald. Rich Republicans really bother me…” I cut her off, “Ma’am, I am not rich.”
Everyone in the control room laughed. She paused. “What?” I replied, “Well, you can call me all of those other things but just don’t call me rich.” She was put off her prepared talking points and so my comment stalled her out. I thanked her for listening and moved on, smiling.
I am rather immune to being called school yard bully names. It does not really even get my attention other than to note how immature people sound when blasting away with the insults. Let fly with the insults because it means my arguments work and you do not have an answer for them.
What no one answered is why this president needs to make it harder on all Americans just because he is sore at the Republicans in Congress. They made him mad and if he wants to talk smack with them, be my guest. If he wants to make it hard on the Republicans in Congress, that is his prerogative.
But America has well over 300 million citizens. Of that number approximately 200 million Americans are eligible to vote. Around 50 million are Republicans and 70 million are Democrats. Obviously many Americans are not registered to vote. Hurt those Republicans and not 90 year old veterans.
This president should not attempt to hurt all Americans just out of spite and anger at the Congressional Republicans. Leave the rest of us out of the punishment.
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico on six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
For some reason they make it personal. Some even slurred my dog Conrad. He did not mind and replied, “To know me is to love me, I must be a helleva dog…” Conrad stole that from a Mac Davis song. But it is true.
And I am fine with personal attacks. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher noted, “I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”
Very few of the angry ones did more than call me vile names. A couple of readers did mention the arguments in my column. For that I am grateful. I agreed with one that I should not call the president names. That does not mean I should not oppose his actions.
Some who wrote were tickled I said what they had been thinking. Great! But others called me a poopy head. They shouted as loud as they could (in writing) but did not take on my concern that this president had been acting in a mean-spirited manner.
Most who communicated via email just threw down the racist label as if all who oppose our president can be labeled as doing it for racist reasons. Having the first president of African-American heritage was supposed to heal our racial wounds, not exacerbate them. If we cannot criticize this president then I am sorry he was elected because it is one of the great activities of free men and women to boo the president.
We are getting to a strange place in politics where the first thing out of people’s mouths is to call someone a racist. Racism has largely been subdued in our society so that any real racism is dealt with swiftly and with overwhelming force. This is not a racist society any longer. We Americans do have a past that is the cause for much shame. But that has ended.
The name calling used to be different. For example: a woman was upset with something I said on my talk radio program a few years ago. She called in to smack me around. She said, “You Big. Fat. Old. Ugly. Bald. Rich Republicans really bother me…” I cut her off, “Ma’am, I am not rich.”
Everyone in the control room laughed. She paused. “What?” I replied, “Well, you can call me all of those other things but just don’t call me rich.” She was put off her prepared talking points and so my comment stalled her out. I thanked her for listening and moved on, smiling.
I am rather immune to being called school yard bully names. It does not really even get my attention other than to note how immature people sound when blasting away with the insults. Let fly with the insults because it means my arguments work and you do not have an answer for them.
What no one answered is why this president needs to make it harder on all Americans just because he is sore at the Republicans in Congress. They made him mad and if he wants to talk smack with them, be my guest. If he wants to make it hard on the Republicans in Congress, that is his prerogative.
But America has well over 300 million citizens. Of that number approximately 200 million Americans are eligible to vote. Around 50 million are Republicans and 70 million are Democrats. Obviously many Americans are not registered to vote. Hurt those Republicans and not 90 year old veterans.
This president should not attempt to hurt all Americans just out of spite and anger at the Congressional Republicans. Leave the rest of us out of the punishment.
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico on six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
