No insult to be called a bad name

Larry Remener
Published: March 9, 2008

When I read Robert T. Molleur’s letter on March 5 describing liberalism as a “ mental disorder,” I was reminded of Harper Lee’s admonition in “To Kill a Mockingbird” that “It is never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is.”

Mr. Molleur blames liberals for the “forced austerity” that “manifests itself around most kitchen tables in Prince William County.” 

He conveniently fails to mention the budget surplus the Bush administration inherited from the Democrats and quickly squandered. He fails to mention the trillion plus dollars the conservative Republicans have wasted in Iraq, resulting in massive cuts to federal programs,  which in turn had to be taken over by the states. 

Mr. Molleur then disparages Potomac News columnist Gary Jacobsen, calling him “the only commander in U.S. history of a squad of tanks with 21 speeds in reverse.”

I don’t pretend to be an expert on armored warfare, since I spent my entire Army career in infantry and Special Forces units. However, even I know that the squad is an infantry unit. In armored units, the tank platoon is the smallest maneuver unit.  There is no such thing as a tank squad. There is also no such thing as a squad commander. 

Finally, infantry squads are led by sergeants, not colonels. Jacobsen is a retired Marine colonel.

Then Molleur refers to Jacobsen as a “former liberal Marine.” Does that mean Jacobsen is now a conservative? I can remember a time when I was proud to be a conservative in the mold of Barry Goldwater. Conservativism meant staying out of foreign wars, being fiscally responsible and protecting individual rights.

Now it means wearing an American flag on your lapel and quoting the bible. 

Ron Paul, the only true conservative running for president,  recently told Tim Russert on NBC’s Meet the Press that,  when he listens to modern conservatives, he is reminded of a quote by the late Sinclair Lewis:  “When facism comes to this country,  it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” 

LARRY REMENER

Woodbridge