To the Editor:
On March 5, Mr. Eschliman published his endorsement of a book reflecting the “Ten Commandments of Political Warfare.” We want to add our voices to Gene Bryant’s (letter to the editor, March 7) in his call for a retraction and apology for promoting such mean-spiritedness.
Conservatives and progressives — and every combination of the two — need each other, because no one person, party, or faction has a corner on the truth. But we do not need more anti-dialogue, prideful, disrespectful rhetoric as is exemplified in these “Ten Commandments,” whether it comes from the right or the left.
Given what I thought were Mr. Eschliman’s religious views, what surprised me about these “commandments” was their obvious contradiction of Biblical imperatives. Here are a few relevant ones:
You shall not kill.
Love your enemies.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude; it does not insist on its own way.
Turn the other cheek.
Insofar as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone.
Disagree? Yes. Vigorously? Yes. Strongly advocate and organize for your position? Yes. Vilify your opponent? Well, if you support that, please do it privately and not by misusing the position of newspaper editor.
Larry & Linda Anderson
Newton