Speaking of rumors
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Re “Truth is in the ear of the beholder,” Opinion, Sept. 28
Obviously, a person’s political viewpoint will have an influence on virtually all debatable political issues.
There exists reams of data, theories, espionage and counterespionage on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Why would anyone in their right mind, even author Cass Sunstein, think that a person’s opinion on WMD would be based strictly on President George W. Bush’s assessment and the CIA’s report?
And this “scares” writer Gregory Rodriguez?
Mike Bennett
Rowland Heights
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On the same day that Rodriguez’s Op-Ed article appeared in The Times, there was also a story inside the paper in which former President Clinton said that a “vast right-wing conspiracy” still exists in our country.
As Rodriguez points out, “rumors and conspiracy theories can only thrive in the minds of people who are predisposed to believe them.”
In other words, it cuts both ways.
If we’re going to talk about people who believe so-called loony rumors and conspiracy theories, let’s talk about those on the left and the right, shall we?
Elaine Minamide
Escondido
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This article brings to mind all of the Internet “documentaries” “proving” that George W. Bush had knowledge of and/or participated in the 9/11 attacks.
Thanks for presenting a balanced illustration of the “scary” nut-jobs on both sides of the aisle. Sounds like a case of biased assimilation to me.
K. Wesley Patten
Los Angeles
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Although Rodriguez’s Op-Ed article is interesting, it unintentionally proves its own thesis.
He states: “Over the last few months, a lot of writers have dusted off Richard Hofstadter’s classic 1964 essay on the paranoid style in American politics just so they can explain away the loony rumors and conspiracy theories coming from the far right.”
But what about the loony conspiracy theories from the far left?
The article would have been far more effective had he used examples on both sides, thus balancing it.
It’s really frightening when one can’t see through one’s own biases, and therein lies the problem; or, to quote Rodriguez, “Are you scared yet? I am.”
Patrick Skelton
Topanga
