Most readers must have noticed the incessant, unwarranted barrage of personal attacks during the end of my second term in the House of Delegates. Since then, unprovoked attacks were unleashed when I tried to inform folks of monkey business in Charleston or dared express an opinion.
Was my offense running for office as a registered Republican and winning in a state run by one party for 80 years? Now, driving all elected Republicans out of office in Monongalia County isn't enough. Our free speech must be completely squelched.
If there was any truth to Martinelli's premise, then why must I respond to two attack letters at once?
Bruce Schreiman (DP-June 5) lumped me in with national conservative commentators and influential Republican leaders. He wrote, "I can't think of a better group to compose the core of the Republican Party. That group should solidify whoever remains on the right — into a dense brick. Good luck. Goodbye. Good riddance."
Instead of building that brick into your wall, I wish to use it to shatter the opaque film obscuring your vision of what is happening to our nation.
Instead of defending the Constitution, why do liberals and ACLU members silence other voices? Don't waste your efforts attacking me; critique those who are trampling on our rights, ensnaring our children in debt, destroying free enterprise and dividing our nation into groups of races and religions.
Because my paternal great grandparents immigrated from Czechoslovakia, I often wondered why Hitler was able to eliminate Jews and "undesirables," sending them to concentration camps such as Auschwitz. Where was the opposition to what he was doing?
European dissenters were shouted down and intimidated, just as we are now. If you ignore history, you are destined to repeat it. Partisan ideologues would be wise to allow debate without ridicule.
Neither letter writer ever attempted to discuss issues with me. My record proves that I am no extremist. Before, during and after my service in the Legislature, I worked with and helped folks of various philosophies, affiliations, problems and concerns. Despite this truth, where are the liberals to defend me from this constant assault?
The motivation of the writers should be questioned when they engage in such hateful distortion.