My immediate reaction as I was reading Henry Scroggin’s letter in WHT was one of uneasiness due to the sheer level of rage, anger, and hatred the author was obviously feeling as he wrote his letter. While I sit in the middle politically, not a far left liberal, nor a far right conservative, a question that always pops in my head when I read letters like this is why do conservatives always seem to be so angry, and what is the source of their anger?
Liberals are definitely not immune to these expressions of anger, but it honestly seems to be a much more common theme among the far right. Conservatives were foaming at the mouth angry during eight years of the Obama administration, and now oddly enough, they are actually angrier than ever even though Republicans control Congress, the Senate, and the Oval Office.
Ultimately, I guess the fundamental question that truly puzzles me is why do extreme conservatives become so genuinely irate at the fact that their are opposing viewpoints in our country and that we have the luxury of living in a Democratic society where we can voice those opinions?
While I might read a Breitbart article or watch a few minutes of Fox for a chuckle, it certainly doesn’t make me angry. It’s specifically the availability of opposing viewpoints that make this country so great and that I appreciate so much. It would be easy to question the specifics of Mr. Scroggin’s letter point by point and the beliefs he seems to hold, but I will only comment on a few.
First, physical violence and “body slamming” another human being because they disagree with your viewpoint is not something to be celebrated Mr. Scroggin, although this obviously made you extremely giddy. I believe this is something we teach our children at a fairly young age.
Second, hyperbole and “alternative facts” do not change reality, whether they are being used by Mr. Trump or the average person. Mr. Scroggin states that candidate Gianforte in the Montana election he refers to, “kicked the crap” out of his opponent and won in a “landslide.” Actually, out of just under 400,000 votes cast in that election, Gianforte won by about 20,000 votes. I guess it depends on what one considers a landslide.
Third, telling liberals to head to the library is actually not an insult Mr. Scroggin. Oddly enough, education, books, reading, and learning are actually good things. One does not need to be an elitist or “lib” to enjoy these things and benefit from them.
Alas, none of the detailed inaccuracies or strange viewpoints of Mr. Scroggin’s letter particularly interest me. What I would really love to see just once, however, instead of blind rage and name calling is a calm, clear, intelligent, well thought out argument from the far right on any number of issues. Why are proposing huge funding cuts to education, low cost health services, after-school programs, the sciences, the CDC, and medical research good things? But my most important question by far, why are you all so angry still?
Eric Garrett is a resident of Kailua-Kona.