To the editor:

In an April 1 letter Mr. Thom suggested we read his open letter to the mayor and citizens of New Ulm regarding the Human Rights Commission and draw our own conclusions.

I’d summarize his open letter as calling for action against people for things he is afraid they will do, based on what he imagines their thoughts to be, and what right-wing propaganda tells him their motives must be. He knows what everyone else thinks and what they really mean when they speak.

Following the open letter’s logic, children’s show host Mr. Rogers unconditionally asking everyone to be his neighbor would have had some evil intent. These days Mr. Rogers might end up on the “groomer” list along with Disney. Those who label groups of people as godless, pedophiles, and hating America are drawing a pretty hard line in the sand. Inferring in the open letter that the HRC is communism and calling their upcoming community presentations “indoctrination” does the same and could not be more divisive. Such radical language is so effective at turning neighbor against neighbor that social media sites, pundits and even members of Congress push it at us every day. People are being intimidated, and calls for violence are becoming more common.

Conspiracy theories, lies, and propaganda have always trickled into political debates and conversations between friends and family. But now we’re faced with a toxic tsunami of it, encouraging us to slap labels on people and reduce them to just that label; to fear and hate them.

We can choose to dive into that toxic tsunami like it’s a pool party, or we can choose to look for high ground. It seems to me your Human Rights Commission looks for ways to keep your community on high ground. I find that admirable.

Patricia Missling

Springfield