Eclectic commentary from a progressive voice in the red state

Monday, October 1, 2018

An open letter to Rand Paul


George E. Schwarz
Email: george.schwarz@hotmail.com

Oct. 1, 2018

Randal H. Paul M.D.
200 Lakeside Way
Bowling Green KY 42103

Dear Rand:

I am a retired journalist who also has a master’s in hospital administration. I am also an unabashed liberal/progressive who finds the Republic Party repugnant. I always find it amusing that mostly males with medical degrees think that education confers on them expertise in other areas. And,
frankly, it also amuses me how members of the United States Senate also believe how superior they a are and think they know so much as well; and, the arrogance that they think they are leaders instead of seeing themselves as public servants. Senators have traditionally referred to the Senate as the greatest deliberative body in the world. After last week, the Republicans shameful behavior on the Judiciary Committee puts lie to that tradition and shows your colleagues McConnell, Grassley and Graham to be no better than the two-bit political hack that is Brett Kavanaugh.

That said, however, I was not amused at your tweet that asserted publishing home addresses of senators was an attempt to incite violence and endanger them and their families. The reality is that you and your 99 other politicos in the senatorial sewer have ignored your constituents for years — unless, of course, there are large campaign contributions. How else are we to get your attention than to bypass the obstacles designed to make real dialogue with “the little people” impossible. Further, and this is hugely important, publishing information from public sources is not illegal. Your call for an investigation and punishing people for legal acts protected by the First Amendment shows you’re stupid, chicken and willing to back Cadet Bone Spurs’ and Putin’s slow moving coup.

You’re correct that “(T)here is too much hatred and violence in politics these days.” Look at the eight years that President Barack Obama endured all the hatred, posters of lynching, references to him and the First Lady as monkeys and worse. Trump and your friends and allies are fomenting the violence. That came from your side of the aisle. Trump and his campaign was part of it and continued inciting violence as he and his Nazi friends killed Heather Heyer. It was Trump who incited people to attack reporters at his rallies. It was Trump who attacked a Gold Star family. It was Trump who ridiculed a disabled reporter. And, Grassley’s, Graham’s and Kavanaugh’s display at last week’s hearings were violence provoking. Just look at their lying faces. So spare me and the Twitterverse your self-righteous crap and posturing.
I am glad I published the home addresses I did. The repression of voters, especially those poor and of color, the gerrymandering of districts, the lies on the campaign trail, the demonizing of basic civil rights and hiding behind an infrastructure that protects you from all but those have bought and own you — we see through that and we plan to bring you to account. If you won’t hear us in the Halls of the Capitol, you’ll hear us in the street. Unlike your Orange-Faced friend in the White House, I haven’t advocated any violence.

You, however, are continuing to lie about it. Good Christians/Presbyterians don’t do that. Why do you?

Sincerely,

Copies to:

208 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
By fax: (202) 228-6917

1029 State Street, Bowling Green, KY 421012652
By fax: (270) 782-8315