Enough with the name-calling

To the editor:

(re: “Let Dems keep ranting,” Sept. 14)

Freedom of the press allows, and actually encourages, the public to express its opinions. Unfortunately, it cannot regulate — nor should it attempt to gauge — one’s knowledge and command of publicly acknowledged facts (no quotation marks).

Despite claims about “fake news,” we still live in a fact- and evidence-based society. Mr. Donofrio would do well to check his information prior to offering up his opinion. 

His letters would have the added benefit of being more credible.

• Indigenous people in the United States were decimated by diseases they had no immunity to fight. These diseases were brought over here by European settlers.

• Mr. Donofrio appears to believe that being of European ancestry makes him superior to non-Europeans. Not only wholly inaccurate by most measures and academic studies, but this expressed belief is blatantly offensive. Neither he, of likely Italian origin, nor I of eastern European Jewish origin, would be considered “European” by the radical and extremist white “European” hate groups Mr. Donofrio appears to embrace.

After all, we are both descended from, heaven forbid, immigrants.

• Mr. Donofrio labels Democrats as socialists, an affiliation most familiar with America’s political parties would just laugh at. If he wants to see (failed) socialism in action, may I suggest he visit Venezuela. Then offer up his opinion. 

• Lastly, I really hope Mr. Donofrio doesn’t mean that he and he alone speaks for America, and our local Italian-American community. What chutzpah that would be. 

And arrogance. 

Please, Mr. Donofrio, you’ll be more credible if you research the facts prior to your next letter. And a lot less stridency helps, too. We already have enough from the top.

We’re trying to get along in a pluralistic community within a pluralistic city mixed together in a pluralistic country. Please join us, without the name calling.

Adam Stoler