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LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Article Excerpt
Byline: The Register-Guard

Editorial was unfair to Ralston

I read the July 21 editorial skewering Springfield City Councilor Dave Ralston and it solidified my support for his re-election, even though I don't live in his ward.

In their determination to discredit his views on illegal immigration, the editors employed many of the propaganda devices that good schools warn children about from their elementary years on. Just four examples:

Name-calling - "mean, shrill, intolerant, panderer."

Straw man - Acting like Ralston had expressed fanatical fears of immigrants blowing up buildings, when he said nothing on the subject.

Ad hominem - Hectoring Ralston over a hunting infraction, irrelevant to the issue, for which be has paid a penalty. Was the idea that since he has been called to account for a misdeed himself, he cannot call for others to be held accountable for theirs?

And worst of all, switching terms - Raving on about the wonderful things that immigrants have done in this country, as if Ralston disagrees and is criticizing all these immigrants. This slander is the lowest but most common of all the sleazy arguments being made across our culture on this issue. The editors know that Ralston is talking about illegal immigrants, not immigrants in general, and the minute they drop the word "illegal" from the debate, lots of people stop listening, because they know that honest dialogue is out the window.

Congratulations on an absolutely toxic contribution...

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