Welcome, dear readers, to another exciting session of Ask Boomer With Attitude, live from Charlotte, where the economy's so bad, a new Wal-Mart's starting to look good. We have real reader questions this week, exclusively, so, sorry, this time you don't get to guess which question was made up.
Dear BWA: Why doesn't the media give equal time to people in town halls who are for health care reform? -- Ray Wilton
Dear Ray: Because more people who are opposed to reform show up for the meetings than those in favor. They're also louder, and in terms of media coverage, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. What has been disturbing to watch is the level of raw fear in some of the town halls, such as that evinced by a woman who showed up at Rep. Patrick McHenry's meeting in Mooresville. As told by Observer writer Vicki Taylor, the lady thought Obama's plans amounted to "slavery," and asked Taylor where slavery started. The woman answered her own question, "Africa! They started it themselves!" And that's an argument about health care reform how? You'd be hard-pressed to find a shred of logic in the woman's comments, but they're no worse than much of what's been said at these meetings. Fear is the operative emotion for such folks, and it's being fed to them day in and day out by the likes of FoxNews and radio howlers. I don't blame the mainstream media for giving reform opponents their chance at airtime, but they would better serve the truth if they also pointed out the concerted campaign to rile those opponents with outright lies.
Dear BWA: How can you favor wasting money on repaving roads instead of paying for more police officers? -- What?!
Dear What?!: You're referring to a blog item written the day City Council was to decide how to spend supplemental money. The terrible state of Charlotte's roads says it all, and clearly shows how badly those funds were needed for repaving. Instead, the funds went toward hiring more police officers, despite the fact that Charlotte's crime rate has dropped dramatically. If you're on City Council, however, you don't dare go against a request for more cops, since half the city is scared out of its wits by the lurid, crime-centric focus of local TV news -- just as the town hall screamers are scared to death by conservative media (see previous question). Fear is, unfortunately, a useful political tool, and the right uses it well. It's just that fear tactics don't say much, or much that's good, about the strength of their views.
Dear BWA: Who is going to win the Charlotte mayor's race? -- Politics Junkie
Dear Junkie: OK, let's get out the crystal ball. I boldly predict that John Lassiter will trounce Martin "the Dirty Book Guy" Davis in the GOP primary. In November, though, the Lassiter-Foxx race is anybody's guess. Right now, I'd pick Lassiter simply because he's white and has more money; however, if Foxx can create a big turnout in the African-American community, and overall turnout is average or lower, Foxx could easily win. But who knows what will happen between now and November, what gaffes will be made, or whose major contributor will turn out to be a crook?
Dear BWA: I guess you and your liberal buddies are happy that Eric Holder is going after the CIA. -- Patriot 101
Dear Patriot: Not especially happy, no, but thanks for asking. It's a good thing that Attorney General Holder has asked for a review of the evidence in some torture cases. In fact, it's not just good; it's pretty essential that those responsible for dragging America's good name through the muck be held responsible. The problem, though, is that Holder should have started at the top. As it stands now, those in the White House who were ultimately responsible -- Cheney, Addington, etc. -- may never be prosecuted.
Dear BWA: Why don't you join in the fun in the comment section at the end of your online articles? -- Sue Bryson
Dear Sue: Two reasons. First, I've already had my say and the comment section is for others to have theirs. Second, and more to the point, I don't read the comments. That probably sounds terrible, but I quit reading nearly all online comment sections, not just those for this column. I used to read them now and then, but online comment sections have become one of the biggest disappointments of the Internet age, usually serving as a showcase for people's depressing ignorance, faulty logic, bad spelling, ill temper, and inability to stay on topic (and that goes for both sides of the political spectrum). It's hard to get excited about "discourse" that goes something like "You suck, you liberal dipshit"/"No, you suck, you fascist jerk"/"Why don't you just shut up?"/"No, you shut up," ad infinitum.
Your questions are welcome, at john.grooms@creativeloafing.com. If you want to use a nickname, please let us know.
Big News: Deliver Us From Weasels, a collection of 50 of John Grooms' best columns and articles, will be published in November by Main Street Rag Press. The book will cost $14.95, but it can be purchased in advance through Oct. 26 for $10 including shipping at www.mainstreetrag.com/store/ComingSoon.php.