Stephen L. Goldstein, The Sun-Sentinel

Stephen L. Goldstein

The Sun-Sentinel

200 East Las Olas Boulevard

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

RE: Thank you for your marvelous, simply marvelous, July 4^th gift. I am shocked, shocked, at your column this morning in that it reveals the true nature of modern American Liberalism.

My dear Professor,

In the end, at the bottom of the pit, when they think no one is looking modern American Liberals become Nazis. The Gesztapo would welcome them with open arms. Thanks for saying it so openly.

[Please note that I did not say Soviets nor did I mention the KGB or the Lubyanka. That would bring up visions of Trotsky with a pick ax in his head, of the Hitler Stalin Pact, of Alger Hiss’s patrician style of treason, of “Animal Farm”, of Masaryk being defenestrated, of the Rosenbergs selling out their country, of Bukharin and his trial, of Walter Duranty, the New York Times, and the first holocaust deniers, of Cardinal Mindszenty, of “1984”, of Herbert Matthews helping Fidel Castro get his job, of 70 years of bad luck in agriculture, of “The God That Failed”, of Poznan in 1953, of Budapest in 1956, of Prague in 1968, of Poland in 1981, of the assassination attempt on the Pope by the KGB – those are things conveniently forgotten by mALs of all stripes. Together they are called “Eclectic Indignation”, in case you’ve forgotten.]

“Slippery slope” and “chilling effect”, long the property of modern American Liberals, have been tossed aside like Lord Barack the Beneficent’s promises concerning ending the war, closing Gitmo, raising taxes, lobbyists in government, fat cat donors becoming ambassadors, homosexuals in foxholes, and sending his daughters to public schools in Washington. And he’s only been in charge for 6 months. Wait until he gets a full head of steam going!

As usual, when you use literary or historical terms, you are wrong in your explanation and reference. Let me be charitable this time. Your use of the term “utopian” is Homerically imprecise. You lay out a very definite plan of what your inner Brown shirt demands what you do. The problem is that Utopia means “nowhere”. It’s like the horizon. No matter how fast you paddle you never get there. Look it up.

Your utopian vision of a political Neverland has one enemy: the Constitution.

“Free men speak with free tongues.”

That was good advice 26 centuries ago. It’s good advice today.

You call for the end of campaign contributions. So heated is your passion for one people, one state that you probably haven’t thought it through. Your ashen, dulled, no sharp edge society would not permit Emily’s List to function. NARAL would be banned. George Soros would be deported. ACORN would be crushed. Is that what you had in mind?

You say that all media “would be required to allocate prime time and space equally for all candidates…” It pains me to remind you that you work for a company in bankruptcy. It would be irrational of any adult to think that Sam Zell would give up one inch of space for free that had ready and willing buyers for such space. There is a Federal Judge who would forbid it. He would probably order a sanity hearing should it be proposed. There is a delicious irony in having a Federal Judge, the instrument of choice for modern American Liberals when they seek change that they could not bring about otherwise, order a stop to such lunacy.

Your homework assignment for the holiday weekend is to research the campaign of 1800. The candidates were Adams and Jefferson. Can we stipulate that these two men were giants? It was the dirtiest campaign ever.

You may wish to take a peek at the campaign of 1864. The Democratic Party and the New York Times called the President a baboon. By urging a negotiated settlement with the South they supported – Qui tacet consentit, remember? – slavery. When can we expect an apology for such heinous acts?

Having to listen to Ralph Nader might be construed as “cruel and unusual punishment”. Since you have no regard for the Constitution maybe we could condemn the terrorists at Gitmo, the ones that Lord Barack and blessed be his name, now says he will keep in the pokey forever, to having the choice of Ralphie Boy talking about why we need the ICC or bastinado in the morning and strapado in the afternoon. Get some money down on the second choice.

If we take out the part of the First Amendment about the people “peaceably petitioning the legislature for a redress of grievances” can we take out the part that gives Robert Mapplethorpe a platform? How about the Nazis marching through Skokie? Are you opposed to burning all flags or just some flags? Isn’t this where “slippery slopes” and “chilling effects” come in? Although I am sure you would have approved of Ezra Pound being locked up for 13 years without having ever been accused of anything, without ever been arraigned, without ever been tried, without ever having been convicted – talk about George Bush! – in 1945 it is a different time now. You like to wear the retro uniforms of yesteryear.

The Liberty Bell is inscribed thus:

“Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”

Leviticus

25 – 10

It starts with “Congress shall make no law…” There are no exceptions for fascists like Goldstein.