OPINION:
The Washington Times has risen one notch in my estimation by publishing Eric Althoff’s article on former Rep. Bob Inglis, South Carolina Republican (“Bob Inglis breaks from Republican Party, advocates action to fight climate change,” Web, March 24). While a climate change denier such as Willy Soon is being called a hero (rather than a rogue for accepting $1 million to shill for the fossil-fuel industry), a real hero such as Mr. Inglis gets booted out of the “tribe” for having the temerity to take a principled position not endorsed by Rush Limbaugh or Fox News.
The word tribe features prominently in the movie “Merchants of Doubt,” wherein it is explained that the far right deserves that description because it insists that its members not stray one millimeter from the accepted positions on immigration, gun control, entitlements, minimum wage, Obamacare and, of course, climate change. To do so results in immediate banishment from the tribe.
This is further evidence of a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. While Democrats have a history of internal bickering, the Republicans (until recently, with the advent of the tea party movement) have generally been free of internal discord. Simply put, while Democrats prefer to think for themselves, Republicans prefer to be told what to think.
DONALD HNATOWICH
Brookline, Mass.
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