TW: Kathleen Parker, conservative but not crazily so columnist Chicago Tribune, attained notoriety last weekend for stating the obvious- Sarah Palin's nomination is irresponsible. As a result the right-wingnuts have pounced. Yes they exist on left as well but presumably are not as well-armed.
From Parker:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am a traitor and an idiot. Also, my mother should have aborted me and left me in a Dumpster, but since she didn't, I should "off" myself.Those are just a few nuggets randomly selected from thousands of e-mails written in response to my column suggesting that Sarah Palin is out of her league and should step down.Who says public discourse hasn't deteriorated?The fierce reaction to my column has been both bracing and enlightening. After 20 years of column writing, I'm familiar with angry mail. But the past few days have produced responses of a different order. Not just angry, but vicious and threatening...
Such extreme partisanship has a crippling effect on government, which may be desirable at times, but not now. More important in the long term is the less-tangible effect of stifling free speech. My mail paints an ugly picture and a bleak future if we do not soon correct ourselves.The picture is this: Anyone who dares express an opinion that runs counter to the party line will be silenced. That doesn't sound American to me, but Stalin would approve. Readers have every right to reject my opinion. But when we decide that a person is a traitor and should die for having an opinion different than one's own, then we cross into territory that puts all freedoms at risk. (I hear you, Dixie Chicks.)"
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1001parkeroct01,0,3151779.column
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