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Sunday, October 10, 2004

Brownshirts. Yes, that's what they are
Posted by Jill | 11:35 AM
They're called Bush supporters in polite company, but in reality they are no different from brownshirts -- just like Hitler's thugs, so unsure of any ideas that might get them to think that anyone who disagrees with them is threatened -- with loss of livelihood, loss of safety, loss of life.

THEY are the ones who are un-American, NOT the ones protesting Der Fuehrer's policies.

Hoffmania reprints a follow-up editorial in the Crawford, Texas Iconoclast, which is being threatened because of its endorsement of John Kerry for President:

We have been told by several avid Bush supporters that the days when newspapers publish editorials without personal repercussions are over. As publishers, we have printed editorials for decades, and have endorsed candidates, both Republican and Democrat. When Bush was endorsed four years ago, the Gore supporters did not respond with threats, nor did Democrats when we endorsed Reagan twice. Republicans did not threaten us personally or our business when we endorsed Carter and Clinton for their first terms.

In the past, when individuals disagreed with an editorial, they would write a letter to the editor politely expressing a different point of view in contrast to the views of the publishers, which we have usually published. Occasionally someone would cancel a subscription or an ad, but this was rare.

The goal of the editorial page has been to provide an arena for the expression of a variety of thoughtful opinions, some by the publishers, some by columnists, and some by our readers.

The new mode of operation, I am told, is that when a newspaper prints an editorial of which some sectors might disagree, the focus is now upon how to run the newspaper out of business. Out the window are the contributions the newspaper has made to the community in the past and the newspaper's extensive investment in the community.

We do understand peoples' rights to pull subscriptions and ads, and to express a differing opinion, but we have some trouble understanding threats and payback since in politics there are often a variety of options. For the publishers to herald one of the options should be no cause for persecution.

When you think about it, editorials are often displayed in people's yards with campaign signs. These are endorsements by residents. Is it proper to persecute them for stating their opinions in this manner if you disagree with their choices? Should they be harassed and threatened? We don't think so.

Unfortunately, for the Iconoclast and its publishers there have been threats - big ones including physical harm.

Too, some individuals are threatening innocent commercial concerns, claiming that if they advertise in The Iconoclast, they will be run out of business. We consider this improper in a democracy.


Any Republican who doesn't speak out against such tactics agrees with them, as far as I'm concerned. They want to know why we draw parallels between Bush and Hitler? This is why. You don't want the name, don't play the game.

As it is, I live in a Republican town and I'm afraid to put a Kerry sticker on my car, or a Kerry lawn sign in my yard. Elections are something that happens in this country, and always have. Some people support one candidate, some support the other. That's how it's always been, but I've never in my lifetime seen the kind of thuggish tactics we're seeing now.
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