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• Friday, March 2, 2007 10:17 AM

  Is it?

  Is is demonizing to point out that O'Reilly, by presenting his moderate, figurative "war" between "traditionals" and "S-P"s is providing the extremists within the Dominionist movement the cover they need to make their views sound and appear mainstream.

  -- m.b.f.

  Well, no...but I hardly think you can legitimately hold O'Reilly responsible for what they believe. As an example, I once was forced to spend a lot of time trying to explain to my supposed allies on the left that Off the pigs, however satisfying it might have seemed to them as a metaphor, was inherently flawed as a political slogan, precisely because it a) wouldn't seem a metaphor to our adversaries, b) might cause some of our own to mistake a metaphor for reality, and do stupid and violent things, and c) tarred with far too broad a brush.

  Once, after a demonstration in Berkeley 40 years ago, I was thumbing a ride home down Telegraph Avenue. I had hair nearly to my waist, was wearing a beaded Lakota medaillion around my neck, etc. A short-haired guy in his early thirties picked me up. It was only after I got into the car that I noticed the riot gear in the back seat. He asked me, What was all that about anyway; what is it that you guys want? It wasn't a hostile question, it was genuine curiosity, probably the reason he stopped for me.

  Should I have wanted to off him?

  —William Timberman Read William Timberman's other letters
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