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January 27, 2012

Letter: ‘Attack the messenger’ used in nonpartisan debate

Dalton Daily Citizen

Misdirection, misinformation and the “straw man” tactic were on full display via the letter to the editor Jan. 19. The level of contempt for the reader matched the level of contempt that proponents for nonpartisan elections have for the voter.

The Murray Board of Election did not request that the board be nonpartisan as stated, but requested the election be nonpartisan. Board members act in their official duties as nonpartisan or partisan as they wish, regardless of the method of election.

Concerned citizens’ and the nonpartisan Tea Party’s opposition to the BOE’s proposal was not answered, but the lamestream media’s “attack the messenger” standard operating procedure was used. Calling opponents vehement, vitriolic and partisan instead of addressing the issues indicates they have no logical reason to support nonpartisan elections. Regardless of voter partisanship, everyone should be outraged at attempts to control information available to voters.

If a former BOE member actually said she had to choose a party to run for the office then she is either ignorant of the law or attempting to deceive. Any candidate can choose to run as a nonpartisan, aka an independent.

Believing that voters cannot vote intelligently if given party affiliation reveals volumes about the writer and others proposing nonpartisan elections, concluding they should decide what information about the candidates is available to the voter. Their contempt for us (the great unwashed) cannot be contained when they are challenged by citizens who disagree with their arrogant assumptions.

The seven positions on the Murray BOE had 20 candidates; check the Secretary of State’s election data for 2008 and 2010 (primaries and general elections). Stating that there were not 20 candidates in one election is a blatant attempt to diminish the credibility of the person who made the original (and factual) statement and to mislead readers at the same time.

Murray BOE records indicate Ricky Mallett promoted a party agenda (nonpartisan elections) in board meetings and the school superintendent provided instructions on how to accomplish this. If the goal is to keep party agendas out of BOE work, those concerned should criticize the individuals who introduce political agendas and the board members that support them and not the citizens voicing opposition. Of course, logic has never deterred elitists from attempting to blame citizens for the actions of officials.   



Ed Painter

Dalton

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