Dear Editor,

Conventional Wisdom

With utmost hypocrisy, college Republican attack dog Nick Bahl used a quote from Cesar Chavez to begin his recent 1200 word letter to the editor. The letter was directed against MSCD political science professor Dr. Oneida Meranto and tries to impugn her on many levels, more personal than political.

It is quite befitting and symbolic of the personal attacks and falsehoods contained in Bahl’s letter that he would misspell the name of Cesar Chavez while trying to quote him.

To quote a man, who dedicated his life in solidarity with the most exploited, abused and voicless segments of our society, and to use these words to attack, with lies and deformation, a women of color who has not only embraced the values of Chavez but has spent a good part of four decades also working in defense of these same vulnerable communities, is so beyond immoral as to be shameful.

It is an insult to the Chavez legacy that a young man, affiliated with the political party that hounded, harassed, arrested and beat Chavez at every opportunity, would then dare to utter his words to further the agenda of the GOP.

One need not read many of Bahl’s deceitful far right-wing articles in The Metropolitan to realize that; if there were ever to be such a thing as a polar, political opposite from every value Chavez ever believed in –– it would be Nick Bahl.

The College Republicans, coming off a political high after receiving a visit from the grand-master of unethical, political grand standing –– David Horowitz, were extolled by him to become the brown shirts in his McCarthy style purges of college campuses.

The most revealing aspect of Bahl’s letter attacking Meranto (a letter which made repeated derogatory references to her physical appearance!) is that it coincided with Sen. John Andrews recent statements proclaiming that he will seek legislation next session codifying ideas brought to Colorado by Horowitz.

These actions by Andrews were instigated after a recent visit and meeting with David Horowitz (Horowitz also has the ear of Governor Owens).

According to the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post –– Andrews said that the need for this legislation comes from the fact that he received complaints from Republican students who claim they suffer from discrimination on college campuses in Colorado.

This completes a neat little circle. Horowitz visits with the College Republicans and urges them to get out and make accusations of hostility but only after having visited with Andrews and Owens to assure them that an atmosphere of intimidation exists and that the persecuted students will be forth coming, even if the realities have to be fabricated –– as one realizes is the case after hearing Horowitz speak on campus — reading Bahl’s recent letter and Andrews’ comments in the papers.

Should Meranto have her character, dignity and reputation attacked because of politically loaded schemes hatched in back room meetings between Horowitz and the two most powerful politicians in the state –– Owens and Andrews.

I used the term brown shirt earlier and it was not for effect or hyperbole, it is accurate and it needs to be opposed. It needs to be opposed by all freedom loving Coloradoans who disagree with the New McCarthyism being legislated by Andrews, opposed by all citizens who love the truth and oppose witch-hunts and purges as being conducted by Horowitz and his minions.

Thomas Mestnik
MSCD graduate/former student body president