Mr. Eppenbaugh's letter on May 7, in which he unfortunately chose to link Progressives to Nazis, is the height of hate-mongering and disturbingly offensive. Had Mr. Eppenbaugh bothered to look up the definition of progressivism he would have found, "the political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society." Nowhere is the extermination of a race of people, or white supremacy mentioned.
I would like to give Mr. Eppenbaugh the benefit of the doubt by hoping his hatred stems from youthful over-exuberance and ignorance. However, I fear the real culprit is the misinformation and distortions fomented by the Fox Nation and the Vicks Vaporub induced tears of Glennzilla.
As a committed liberal, or progressive if you prefer, I can tell you that we do not want big government dictating our reproductive rights, nosing in our bedrooms, or forcing Christian fundamentalism down the throats of our children under the guise of education. The Bible, like the Constitution, is subject to interpretation. These interpretations should be administered by the parent. I prefer to dwell on the kindness and benevolence depicted in the Bible instead of the hell-fire, damnation and judgmental attitudes that others may prefer.
Progressives don't want lobbyists and corporations writing and buying legislation. We believe that government should be of the people, by the people and for the people. We believe government should provide an adequate safety net for society's less fortunate, provide a fair playing field and administer social and economic justice. The unrealistic belief that if left to their own devices big business and wealthy individuals will always find it in their hearts to do the right thing has proven disastrous. Big men and big business, left unattended, will corrupt and destroy anything in their path. Using the same thought process, should we not throw open the prison gates and give these persons unwavering trust and naively believe they will sin no more?
Progressives do not believe the government has a right to invade sovereign nations, overthrow existing governments, destroy property and kill human beings in the name of corporate profits. The United States does not have a God-given right to plunder the planet in order to gain access to natural resources.
I agree with Mr. Eppenbaugh that the Holocaust did happen, just as history has recorded. It is a blood-soaked chapter in history and should be taught in schools. However, I do not believe we should dwell on Germany's blood-stained history until we have aired and scrubbed the blood of the genocide of the American Indian and the brutality of slavery from our own front porch.
May I suggest Mr. Eppenbaugh obtain a copy of "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". This is an excellent historical account of America's inhumanity towards another race and deserves equal time in our school systems.
