Haim s (Columbia Missouri's anti-American activist) criticism of America is misguided and repulsive

Editor, the Tribune: Mark Haim is a repulsive supporter of anti-American sentiment. This is in response to his March 7 letter.

There are reasons to criticize America, but patriots criticize America because they love her, not because they think America has too much power and influence on the world stage. Haim and his disciples criticize America because they want to see America diminish as a leader in world affairs. Haim and his disciples are more comfortable with sharing power with other nations because they don’t see America as "good;" in their view, America is the cause of the world’s problems.

I have given him the benefit of a fair listening, but I learned from talking with him that he is no lover of America. Haim comes to the conclusion in his letter that we had entered "a new century" that "had the potential for being a time of hopefulness, peace and understanding." Americans love peace, but peace-loving Americans aren’t going to sit on their butts while our citizens are being butchered by demons.

Haim let his views on America be known when he commented on his radio program saying, "… and all those American flags on all those cars? It’s like some kind of patriotic epidemic!"

When Haim is out in front of the post office on Saturdays protesting evil America, I hope that he is careful not to get too close to that flag that is waving beside him. I wouldn’t want him to succumb to that "patriotic epidemic."

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I know a lot of St. Louis and other MissouriFReepers are out in St. Louis supporting our President.....I would be there, but I have to keep an eye on things here at work.

I am waiting for updates on the St. Louis Bush and Jim Talent for Senate gig.

Ashland, Missouri

This isn't much of a rebuttal. Instead of arguing with the points of the original letter, the author descends into the worst type of name calling, saying Haims is "unamerican" because he disagrees.

While Haims very well be unamerican, it's not really an issue in the correctness of his argument (and believe me, I'm not saying he's right.)

There are folks on the left and the right who are nervous about dissent being called "unamerican".

...patriots criticize America because they love her, not because they think America has too much power and influence on the world stage. Haim and his disciples criticize America because they want to see America diminish as a leader in world affairs. ...

Hiam criticizes because he hates America, not because of some noble view of a greater America

Hiam criticizes because he hates America, not because of some noble view of a greater America

Again, a few problems here. First off, the only indication we have that this is true is that you say so. I don't believe that you're psychic and can devine his true motives.

Second, and more importantly, it doesn't matter what his motive is. Is he right or wrong? I'm not defending what he says, but his motive for saying it is irrelevant.

I would say that since I have talked with him on several occasions and have debated him each of these times then I am able to stand by my statements, and I am also sure that his defenders can and will stand with him also.

When he is asked...,"Do you love America?" and he answers, "why should I love America?"....and then continues a with a list of reasons not to love America, then I know to be standing on a strong foundation when I state that he does not love America.....I then make the jump by saying that he hates America. Too strong a jump you say? I say its just right.

These statements have been made by him in my presence, and I am sure that similiar statements have been made to many people on Saturday mornings in Columbia, Missouri.

Fine, perhaps he does hate America. But even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Why don't you write a letter that explains why he's wrong? Being unamerican doesn't mean he's always wrong about everything.

I don't think it would be that hard to come up with arguments as to why he's wrong. I'm just saying that you should attack his points, not him. It's not ok when the left does it, and it's not ok for the right either.

BTW, are Stephens College girls still, uhm, friendly? Some of my fondest memories about Mizzou have to do with having a girl's school in the same town. :)

Ah, the joys of living in a college town moderately infested with failed leftists. These guys are professional students, former assistants to professors, fellows that didn't get tenure and just hangers-on. The only place they can get any hearing, even just protesting on a sidewalk, is in a community filled with young minds and leftist professors.

Thankfully, they are seen much less out in the real world.

Why don't you write a letter that explains why he's wrong?

because I have 250 word space, and I wrote and faxed within an hour...it was off the cuff and from the gut.

Stephens girls.....hmmmmm. I wouldn't know

;^)

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