couriernews

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Hyperbolic letters to editor: opposing points of nonsense

Updated: October 3, 2012 6:10AM



Hyperbolic letters to editor: opposing points of nonsense

I would like to thank the editors of The Courier-News for their clever juxtaposition of two opposing letters about the upcoming presidential election in the Aug. 29 edition. One from the left, one from the right — each describing the devastation that will befall the nation should the other’s candidate prevail.

If the consequences of an election weren’t so serious, I would have thought this was farce more appropriate for the comics page.

Listen to this nonsense: “I believe he is the most dangerous man in the U.S. today,” his rise to power “having frightening parallels to the rise of Hitler.” Or this: They “want to bring to America all the blessings that the global corporations ... have created for themselves in ‘corporate heaven’: communist China.”

Fascists, communists — I can’t think of the last time I laughed so hard!

I am as concerned as anyone about the challenges facing our country, and I have my definite preference in the race, but I know the republic will survive the outcome of the election.

Rather than engage in such shrill hyperbole, I think we should be looking for ways to cooperate with each other to reach the compromises needed to solve our pressing problems no matter who wins This is, or should be, the American way.

Larry Bahr

Elgin





© 2011 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.