My letter to the Washington Post's Editors after their hit piece on my hometown (Vanity)

7/3/2008 | Ron Miller

[wastedpotential]

First, here is a link to my post yesterday about this article: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2039487/posts

To Whom It May Concern:

When I first heard that Findlay, OH been chosen for an article by such a prestigious paper like the Washington Post, I was glad for our community to get the exposure. Then I read with disgust the article by Eli Saslow in our local paper. It is obvious to me that Mr. Saslow came to our city with an agenda - one to show how only unenlightened, racists believing wild and untrue stories about the candidate could possibly be against Obama. He chose an older portion of town with older residents and manipulated them into saying what he wanted to hear, and then inferred their supposed statements on our entire city! Many of those he quoted in his story even deny saying some of the things he attributes to them.

After reading the story and the reaction to it, I would like to ask the editors at the Washington Post a question. Is it possible that someone can be opposed to Barack Obama without being a racist or believing some terrible lie about him? The slant of the article seems to indicate that this is the only possible reason why Barack is not doing well with "blue collar" or "midwest voters."

Now, our paper is being inundated by the outside world, bemoaning the supposed narrow minded bigotry of Findlay's citizens. They state they are "embarrassed" by Findlay, "disappointed" by Findlay and one writer even compared us to Nazi Germany! By writing this story, Mr. Saslow not only played to the worst sterotypes of middle America (ie, racist, ignorant and closed minded), he also perpetuated the stereotype I have of the Washington Post and other national media outlets - liberally biased, politically motivated and elitist. He preyed on the elderly in our city to get his story - manipulating them the way he accuses the "internet rumors" of doing!

Some college students going door to door in our town say "people tell us we are in the wrong town." The implication is that this town would never vote for Obama because he is an African American. However, in 2006, Hancock County voted 55% for Ken Blackwell (Republcan and African American) over Ted Strickland (Democrat and white). However, Strickland won the statewide election with 60% of the vote. Where was the article about narrow minded bigotry in the rust belt during this election? Or was Ohio somehow more "enlightened" to vote for a white Democrat over an African American Republican?

While there may be some in our city, state and country who would sadly not vote for a candidate due to the way he or she looks, I believe that most who are not enamored with Mr. Obama are not so for other reasons. Maybe they don't care for his Marxist characterization that they only cling to guns and religion out of bitterness. Maybe they do believe he is a fraud, not because of some internet rumor, but because of his political expediency on issues like Trinity Church or public financing. Maybe they don't care for his positions on taxation, pulling out of the war, nationalized health care, abortion, the second amenmdent or same sex marriage. Maybe they are afraid that a man with such little experience in government will be in over his head dealing with the issues of terrorism, international economics and other critical issues.

[wastedpotential]

The Post said they would probably put a condensed version in the paper tomorrow, I can't wait to see how they twist my words to fit their agenda.

[Patrick1]

Well said.

[Parley Baer]

Excellent reply. The msm is absolutely disgraceful.

[Ratblaster]

I'm sure that your message was forwarded to: “Danielle Allen, a “razor-sharp, 36-year-old political theorist” at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Studies.”
Dude, she knows who you are, and where you live.

[ninergold3]

Great letter. Keep us posted on how they "edit" your letter as well as any response you might get from the author of the original article.

I completely agree with the statement that one can be against Obama without being a racist. I don't like his stand on abortion, I don't like the way he has manipulated the Bible, I don't like the lies about his "former" church and minister, I don't like his socialist agenda (I also dislike his wife but that doesn't affect my vote). I'm not a racist - I'm a concerned, informed voter who just happens to be a 45 year-old white female living in NV.

[Albion Wilde]

Good job!

[REDWOOD99]

Believe it when you see it.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

It is best to do the condensing yourself, then they can choose to print what you want said or not.

[proud2beconservativeinNJ]

Great letter.

[Zevonismymuse]

I’m glad you stood up for your town. I read the article and was completely disgusted by the transparent motive of the writer. Good for you for telling the real story.

[Fox_Mulder77]

The Post said they would probably put a condensed version in the paper tomorrow

LOLOL! Now that's going to be funny to read. I'll bet they're going to make you out to be a kook clinging to your guns and carrying your bible in your back pocket. HEHE!

[kcvl]

Eli is a senior at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. His previous summer internships, both in sports, were at The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J., (2003) and The Buffalo News (2002). As sports editor of his student newspaper, The Daily Orange, for a year starting in May 2002, he assigned and edited stories and covered football and men’s basketball. He interned at The Juice, a monthly Syracuse sports magazine (September 2002-April 2003). He has had articles published in the Denver Post, the Miami Herald and the Austin American-Statesman.

I don't know how long ago this was but it couldn't have been that long ago.

I wouldn't worry about what the little twerp wrote. Who believes the MSM anymore anyway?!

Whoever they are promoting I'm against.

[kcvl]

Check this out...

http://tinyurl.com/65gle4

[fieldmarshaldj]

I can guess how it will be condensed...

To Whom It May Concern:

Findlay, OH... is... Nazi Germany! (T)his town would never vote for Obama because he is an African American.

[not2worry]

I've been to Findley many times and it's a great American City.

It is just the kind of American Community that Obama despises and looks down his nose at, IMHO.

Ohio should take a good look at this commentary. It is not only offensive to Findley, Ohio but many of the communities throughout the State of Ohio.

Guess the Obama campaign elites will claim that they have no control over this “journalist” and her opinion of the voters in Ohio.

How can we have a candidate running for President of the United States of America, who is running not based on the fact that he is a qualified American to lead our country, but rather a candidate that keeps bringing up his race. He started with his book last year (if you read it, it is quite amazing his animosity against anyone who isn't black) and will continue his victimization rhetoric up to Election Day.

rant off/

[thefactor]

holy crap! what a loon! who knew socialists sounded like Nazi’s? ha...

[bannie]

I want to see their “answer.”

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

It’s the Wash. Post. Did you honestly expect them to do a professional, unbiased story? Not in your lifetime.

Having just been on the end of one of their smear pieces, I sympathize with you.

I wonder how many other All-American cities they are going to make into Hitler’s Germany?

[sergeantdave]

“Is it possible that someone can be opposed to Barack Obama without being a racist or believing some terrible lie about him? “

Not according to the democrat racists. Don’t forget to remind the racists at the WP that it was democrats who manned the hoses and dogs in Selma.

[Vigilanteman]

I hope the Washington ComPost does hit pieces like this on cities and counties all over America. It would generate enough backlash in "flyover" country to send Obambi to a defeat of McGovernesque proportions.

By the way, Lynn Swann won our county in 2006 just as Ken Blackwell won your county. Unfortunately, we and others like us, weren't enough to overcome the elitist racists who re-elected our Mafiaoso boss Ed Rendell.