Boston Globe: Conservative soapbox

I thought about writing a letter to the editor about a letter to the editor about two other letters to the editor, but it seemed the epistolary dialogue had gone on long enough.

A Globe reader in Dedham is concerned that the Globe published two letters from conservatives: “Right-wing media have done enough damage to discourse in this country; the Globe should not serve as an additional soapbox for disinformation” (2/14/08). This statement seems to be an example of psychological projection, defined as “a defense mechanism in which one attributes to others one’s own unacceptable thoughts.” The reality is that the media is dominated by liberals, so liberals accuse the media of right-wing bias. The reality is that the Globe is a liberal soapbox, so liberals accuse it of being a conservative soapbox.

The letter also reveals how liberals argue with conservatives. Rather than participating in a debate, liberals believe that the presence of a debating partner has “damaged” the discourse; rather than arguing their point of view they dismiss conservative opinions as “disinformation.”