Big Surprise: A Leftist Calls For Censorship… Of Me

 

(The following is a Letter to the Editor (LTE) written by me that was published today in the local daily newspaper of Santa Clarita, The Signal. I was responding to another LTE critical of my last column, “The Great Mask Scam”. You can read that person’s LTE here: Dorio LTE)

Most of the columns and letters to the editor (LTEs) that I write and that are published by The Signal concern political topics, and since I’m a conservative I expect – and get – a lot of umbrage and pushback from leftists who disagree with my views.

That’s fine with me. I believe in open debate in a free society. But that’s a view that apparently isn’t shared by all.

My 2 December column “The Great American Mask Scam” engendered a responding LTE from Gene Dorio (“Fringe-Speak in Baker Column”, 9 December) that illustrates the problem. Rather than making any effort at all to refute the specific assertions of my column, which included six links to verifiable reputable sources, Dorio presumes a position of superior moral authority (“As a geriatric physician…”), makes a claim unsupported by any documentation (“(I) find this commentary disseminates misinformation while pitting science and public health against political bias.”), and then advocates censorship (“Advising and advocating citizens to wear a mask is not a scam, and The Signal might join in to better serve the health and welfare of our community.”).

You don’t get to win at poker by claiming you have the better hand but refusing to show your cards. The same holds true when debating public policy. Dorio is certainly entitled to his opinion, but that’s all it is… an opinion.

To their credit, The Signal’s editors follow a policy of open debate, and in fact noted when they published Dorio’s LTE that they didn’t agree with my column. Such a policy gives the reading public the opportunity to see all sides of an issue, not just whatever seems to be most popular with leftists at the moment. Major kudos to The Signal.

The leftists’ love of censorship and “cancel culture” is one of the biggest dangers facing this country. They can’t be allowed to get away with it.

 

©Brian Baker 2020

 

 

Let’s Hear It For Censorship

I know I’m doing something right when I’ve got leftists setting their hair on fire.

A little over a week ago my local newspaper, The Signal, published a column written by me entitled “Some ideas to address school shootings” in which I took local pol Katie Hill to task for immediately trying to politicize the recent school shooting tragedy in a blatant bid for votes: “I’m running for Congress to put an end to these senseless tragedies.”

Anyone following the development of the story knows that since Hill’s and my columns have run more revelations have come to light, including the fact that there was a cop on scene who did precisely nothing while the shooter was gunning down helpless kids and teachers. He was soon backed up by other sheriff’s deputies who joined him in doing nothing. In fact, the shooter apparently left the school grounds and headed out to a fast-food joint before cops even entered the building.

All of which supported my premise that, at least in this case, the only hope those victims could have had would have been if one of their fellow victims had been armed and able to return fire, robbing the killer of complete control of the battle space, and seizing back the initiative.

The response to my column from local leftists was prompt and energetic, both online and in the published letters. Patrick Comey (“Stop the name calling”) and Roselva Ungar (“Consider censorship”) both took offense at my characterization of the “ethically and morally bankrupt Dem/socialist party”, which makes me wonder where their sanctimonious outrage was when local writers such as Gary Horton and Charles Vignola were characterizing the Republicans as “jihadists” and “blackmailers” when those writers didn’t like certain GOP policy proposals.

Got hypocrisy? The rules are for thee, but not for me?

Further, in her letter Ungar asks The Signal “to consider censoring, or at least limiting, any writer whose language does not adhere to a respectful use of language.” I guess that must only apply to writers with whom Ungar doesn’t agree. Otherwise, everything’s just hunky-dory.

Censorship: the go-to device for wannabe tyrants. If there’s any question as to why I characterize the left as “ethically and morally bankrupt”, here’s yet another illustration for you.

 

©Brian Baker 2018

(Published in the print edition [only] of The Signal on 2 March)