Thursday, April 24, 2008

Elitism, Punks, and Name-calling



Republican strategist Rich Galen resorted to name-calling in expressing his displeasure over Barack Obama's "bitter" remark. This is a letter to the editor of the Alexandria Times in response to Galen's piece that the paper chose not to publish.
Rich Galen (Virtue, Liberty, and Independence, Apr. 17th) writes, "Barack Obama is an elitist punk." Having seen the milquetoast Galen appear on CNN in his capacity as political commentator of no particular distinction, the harsh language seems somewhat out of character. It is difficult to determine whether it's a function of Galen identifying with the common folk by adopting their language or simply the byproduct of a limited vocabulary and challenged imagination. In any regard, neither reflects well on Galen.

It is difficult to discern why the paper chose not to run the letter. Perhaps name-calling is permissible in the context of an opinion piece but inappropriate for letter writers.

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About Me

Alexandria, VA, United States
'To see what is in front of one's nose requires a constant struggle." - George Orwell