Posted on 09/08/2006 6:11:32 AM PDT by Coop
Labor Day has always been considered the traditional start of the campaign season in an election year...
...contribute to the polarization that has been gripping this country for too long. People don't debate, they toss partisan-party and special-interest talking points back and forth.
...[b]ut we will print letters that arise from a writer's impassioned thoughts about the issues that surface during the elections...
More insidious in the campaign process are the 527 groups... The groups are exempt from taxes under the [IRS] code if they collect funds to influence or attempt to influence "the selection, nomination, election or appointment of an individual to a federal, state, or local public office or office in a political organization."
You might remember the two most influential 527s from the 2004 election cycle, MoveOn.org and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (which changed its name a month before the presidential election to the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth). MoveOn.org remains active on the political scene, seeking to emasculate the Republicans and pave the way for the Democrats to take control of Congress in November — if not both houses, then at least in the House of Representatives.
A check of the Web seems to show little activity for the swift boaters since the 2004 election. However, another group, "Vets for the Truth," formed this year to "redeploy," as its Web site calls it, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., following Murtha's criticisms of the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq, among other things.
No wonder voters seem so apathetic. Politics has been reduced to a cottage industry of smear campaigns, ready-to-wear opinions and homogenized issues.
— Richard Larsen is a deputy opinion page editor at The Star. His e-mail address is rlarsen@VenturaCountyStar.com
(Excerpt) Read more at venturacountystar.com ...
Mr. Larsen,
I wanted to thank you for your hypocritical opinion piece, which provides a powerful example to your readers of woefully biased "journalism". I serve as the Correspondence Secretary for Vets for the Truth (VFTT). I don't suppose you could have contacted us, or at least HONESTLY read our comprehensive website, before smearing us? Is that asking too much? (And we won't even get into your smear of the Swift Boat veterans.)
I did like your cute approach of using "...among other things." to gloss over OUR MAIN MISSION, which is taking issue with Murtha's SMEAR JOB of the Haditha Marines. His incessant criticism of the Iraq war effort (and implied SMEARING of our troops' accomplishments) is certainly annoying, but VFTT did not form and spring into action until Murtha's SMEAR job on the Haditha Marines in May 2006.
Members of our group have proudly wore our nation's uniforms, many of us during combat operations. I seriously doubt you can say the same. We have EARNED the right to make our voices heard, whether or not you or the other Jack Murtha groupies approve.
"But we will print letters that arise from a writer's impassioned thoughts about the issues that surface during the elections."
You say you will print impassioned letters. I'd say [mine] qualifies, wouldn't you? You didn't have the guts to inform us of your SMEAR campaign against VFTT, but let's see if you'll at least have the integrity to print the other side of the story. And include our website. You know, let your readers look around and decide for themselves. What a concept!
Coop
Vets for the Truth
www.bootmurtha.com
Ping
Standing O for you, Coop.
Excellent letter.
:-p Guess I was too impassioned for proper proofreading.
Bravo, Coop! Great letter!
Thanks :)
The Swifties will be the target of the left for years to come, unfortunately. They sacrificed to defend the left's freedom to beat them back down and destroy the truth they fought to long to bring out.
Will you be joining us in Johnstown?
Excellent letter Coop.
After reading his entire piece it's evident that he singled out VFTT and Swift Boat veterans for having the audacity to provide a means for veterans to speak out as a group against the half truths and lies of Democratic candidates who use their own military service to further their political ambitions.
This seems to be a deep seated concern of those on the Left and especially the left leaning media. They can't dispute the message that we attempt to bring to the voters so they smear us as the messengers.
Hopefully many more will respond to his smear with letters, I know I will.
Good! Thanks for taking action.
Good job!
Thanks. No response yet. :-)
Shockingly, no response.
What a surprise! Also still waiting to hear back from that poster last weekend. Remember? Someone said Irey couldn't win and was going to tell us why later!
Yes, I'm still awaiting my FReepmail.
Congratutlations to Coop for having his letter printed in the Ventura County Star and surprisingly they printed the BootMurtha link.
Earned our vocal rights
Re: Richard Larsen's Sept. 5 essay, "Campaign season begins":
I wanted to thank him for his hypocritical opinion essay, which provides a powerful example to The Star's readers of woefully biased "journalism." I serve as the correspondence secretary for Vets for the Truth. I don't suppose he could have contacted us, or at least honestly read our comprehensive Web site, before smearing us? Is that asking too much? (And we won't even get into his smear of the Swift Boat veterans.)
I did like his cute approach of using "among other things" to gloss over our main mission, which is taking issue with Rep. John Murtha's smear job of the Haditha Marines. His incessant criticism of the Iraq war effort (and implied smearing of our troops' accomplishments) is certainly annoying, but VFTT did not form and spring into action until Murtha's smear job on the Haditha Marines in May 2006.
Members of our group have proudly worn our nation's uniforms, many of us during combat operations. We have earned the right to make our voices heard, whether or not Larsen or the other Murtha groupies approve.
Larsen wrote: "But we will print letters that arise from a writer's impassioned thoughts about the issues that surface during the elections."
I'd say this qualifies. Larsen didn't have the guts to inform us of his smear campaign against VFTT, but let's see if The Star, at least, has the integrity to print the other side of the story. And include our Web site, http:// www.bootmurtha.com. Let the readers look around and decide for themselves. What a concept
— Coop
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