To the editor:

I sometimes wonder why I subject myself to the torment of reading Cal Thomas’ self-righteous, bigoted, nationalistic, and often neo-fascist columns. His ongoing attacks on liberals (apparently anyone who doesn’t think as he does) are about as far from his self-proclaimed Christian beliefs as one could get. In Cal’s perfect world there would be no left-of-center political party and the civil rights they defend.

America has never had a viable left-wing political movement. McCarthyism showed what can happen to dissidents in the United States. After that era, the beatniks proved no real threat to the status quo, and the hippies merely instigated the war on drugs. Today the token “crazies” of the Green Party and the anti-globalism movement have progressive views, but they are seldom heard. But, God forbid, we should ever have a broad political discourse like most countries in Europe. To even mention the “S” word would send the right-wing media (O’Reilly, Limbaugh, George Will, and others) into hysteria. Yet, not only are there socialist parties in Europe but they actually win elections and govern countries.

There is certainly little balance in the U.S. media (the notion of a “liberal media” is a bad joke). How many left-wing voices are there to balance the overabundance of right-wing commentators and talk show hosts? Not many. Consequently the vast majority of Americans hear only one side of the story. Unfortunately, most Americans are so politically apathetic that they don’t make the effort to seek out the opposing viewpoints of the alternative press.

If, in his Jan. 3 column, Cal Thomas and his followers see Tom Daschle and Dick Gephart as sinister political forces, then we have a real threat to diverse thoughts and ideas. As long as the American people continue to elect the likes of Jesse Helms, Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, and Trent Lott, the right-wing media have accomplished their goal. They have successfully brainwashed the American people into believing that the government is bad, big business and deregulation are good, labor unions are bad, and the conglomeration of nearly every industry (including farming) is good.

Sigh. Thanks Cal. Your latest pontification moved me to this diatribe. A wordsmith like you could be REALLY dangerous if only you had a smattering of charm.

Kelvin Schartz,

Lawrence