To the editor:

Tom Shewmon, your Jan. 13 letter was full of half-truths and innuendo just as your online posts. You play the victim well.

Many liberals post anonymously on LJWorld.com or quit posting because of on- and off-line harassment. Many “anonymous” conservatives do so as there’s no attribution for what they say. Their online comments are most times personal attacks adding little to the discussion.

Your letter is similar in intent to Palin’s Jan. 12 video which aired early before the memorial in Tucson. She played the victim saying little about those who had died or were in the hospital. She claimed the tragedy was used as a political tool against her, calling it a “blood libel.” This offended many in the Jewish community. O’Reilly used the tragedy for political ends, playing the victim both for himself and Palin.

Palin’s crosshairs poster exemplifies the vitriolic and divisive rhetoric printed and broadcast today. I find it reprehensible that she, Olbermann, O’Reilly and others use divisive rhetoric to politicize the tragedy and further polarize society.

It’s sad you also politicize the tragedy. Your stated goal online is to cause as much trouble as possible for liberals posting on LJWorld.com. That takes away from any discussion. Add to the discussion, Tom, don’t take away from it.