Armed protesters

Re “America the delusional,” Opinion, Aug. 19

It is simply an American disgrace that the former Bush presidents, Sen. John McCain and other prominent Republicans have not released statements denouncing the maniacs who are bringing guns to what are supposed to be discussions of healthcare reform.

Frankly, you can be a strong advocate of 2nd Amendment rights and still realize that packing heat at a presidential rally or any major public event is not reasonable behavior.

Even the head of the NRA should be denouncing these incidents, because it makes responsible gun owners look bad or just plain stupid.

I suppose that after someone is seriously hurt or killed, we’ll hear what we should be hearing from Republican leaders right now. Appalling.

Lewis K. Waldman

La Jolla

I absolutely agree with Tim Rutten’s column.

Several healthcare protesters have compared President Obama and/or Democrats to Nazis.

It seems evident that some right-wing media outlets have encouraged, if not orchestrated, such outbursts.

John P. Jones

Long Beach

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Right on, Tim Rutten. I can’t believe the number of intelligent people who parrot and appear to give approval to the outrageous ideas promoted by Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck and many Republican congressmen. Their activities are atrocious.

Jacqueline Campbell

Laguna Woods, Calif.

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So amusing to read Rutten’s latest gushing anguish about conservative protesters and conservative talk radio hosts. Never mind that this is the man who ranted, er, “opined, “ for eight years on “Bush’s executive tyranny,” celebrated dissent in antiwar marches and advocated almost every liberal cause and protest.

I’m glad to see The Times editors continue their policy of liberal double standards.

Patrick Kearns

Cardiff, Calif.

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It took Rutten’s return from a two-week vacation for the first expressions of alarm and outrage to appear in The Times’ opinion pages over death threats to Obama.

Where was the Secret Service when “everything from an AR-15 assault rifle to 9-millimeter Beretta sidearms were in the crowd outside the hall where Obama spoke in Arizona”? Where was the Secret Service when “a man appeared at a town hall meeting ... with a sign that read ‘Death to Obama’ and ‘Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids’ ”?

Responsible journalists everywhere should join Rutten in denouncing the demented demagogues of radio, TV and the Internet who are leading the onslaught against Obama.

Art Wild

Long Beach