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09-20-2009

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Subject: My Response to Frank Rich's Article in the New York Times

On Saturday, September 19th, Frank Rich posted an opinion piece in the New York Times entitled Even Glen Beck Is Right Twice a Day. In this article he attempts to slay many dragons including Joe Wilson, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Ayn Rand, and of course, Glen Beck. He opens his discussion with the following:
    "With all due respect to Jimmy Carter, the racist component of Obama-hatred has been undeniable since the summer of 2008, when Sarah Palin rallied all-white mobs to the defense of the 'real America.' "

and a short time later he writes:
    "The White House was right not to second Carter's motion and cue another 'national conversation about race.' No matter how many teachable moments we have, some people won't be taught."

So, according to Mr. Rich, my dislike for the impact that President Obama's policies and philosophy is having on my life and my future, is rooted in my "undeniable" racial bigotry. And furthermore, I'm too stupid to be "taught" anything, so don't bother trying.

Here is my response to Frank Rich, published in the online comments section.
    It's obvious that those of us who disapprove of Barack Obama's Marxist philosophy and altruistic morality of sacrifice are all simply racist. Why? Well because Frank Rich says so, that's why! That has to be the reason, because such an incredibly insulting statement has no other supporting evidence. Frank, like Jimmy Carter and others, has the god-like power to look into my soul and know, with a certainty that allows him to proclaim it to the world in the pages of the New York Times, that I am a low class bigot. And because of that "fact", Frank is able to dismiss anything that I might have to say as simply the loony rantings of a moron.

    Thanks Frank. I was really confused. I thought that there might be some issues here concerning the abridgment of individual rights; limiting the government's powers to what is enumerated in the Constitution; the shift in our country from a philosophy of individualism to socialism; the right to keep and dispose of my property as I, not the government, see fit; the short and long range trouble being created by an exploding national debt; the inability of the CIA to function in the wake of retroactive criminal investigations; the destruction of our financial institutions as all innovation is crushed under threats of 'clawbacks' and legal prosecution if you take any risks; ... to name just a few. But now I see that all of those "issues" are really just rationalizations I use to cover up my intense hatred of our President because his skin is a few shades darker than my own. Thank you Frank for your moral enlightenment. Oops, just kidding on that last comment!

    The truth is that Frank Rich, Jimmy Carter, and many others operate from an implicit position that those of us who disagree with their outlook and philosophy ARE actually morons. Because anybody with an IQ of 80 would obviously agree with them! The dissenting Glen Beck is just another moron - a broken clock - that could only be right occasionally by accident, but certainly not by dint of intellectual rigor and a proper analysis of the facts. Actually, this makes me start to wonder who the real bigots are?

    Finally, I would like to comment on what a joke it is to refer to Ayn Rand, and then link, as though it were relevant and insightful, to an article by Jonathan Chait in The New Republic. Yes, it's a feel-good piece for everyone who already thinks that Rand was also just another moron. But this reference is not going to do anyone any good if they want to actually discover what Rand, and her philosophy of Objectivism have to say that is relevant to what is happening in our country today. There are plenty of reference sites on the internet that people can explore in order to get a more balanced picture of Rand. What I would recommend is picking up a copy of her book, Atlas Shrugged, and read it. You might be surprised to discover an ominous set of parallels to today's events being depicted, despite the book having been written over 50 years ago. There is a fun game you can play while reading it. See if you can find your favorite politicians and commentators depicted, making statements and taking actions that could come right off of the front page of today's papers. Why, if you read closely enough, you might even find a bit of Frank Rich in there!

    Regards,
    --
    C. Jeffery Small
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