Rationalizations based on false facts and ideological presuppositions must be a ton of fun for cartoon critics like David Simpson (“Inaccurate message in previous cartoon,” page A4, Dec. 11 Herald).

The fact is that there is no “uncontrolled admission of Syrian refugees into the U.S.” Trumping up false charges against cartoonists, editors and the Obama administration may be the fastest-growing sport among pseudo-conservatives.

The fact is that I am a truth-seeking, rational Christian citizen, and I was not insulted by the political cartoon. I did not see the cartoonist as propagating a lie, but rather as provoking thought. I am, however, extremely insulted by David Simpson’s clearly implied lie that the motive behind the Obama administration’s Syrian refugee proposal is to increase votes for liberals. David’s ingenuous rhetorical question: “Why else has this administration sued every locality that tried to have integrity of the vote?” reveals David to be blind to his own ideological rationalizations. To characterize blatant voter suppression as “protecting the integrity of the vote” would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic. To portray Syrian refugees as “trainloads of MS-13 gangs” is the true height of deceit and hypocrisy. To conclude that an editor’s decision to run a cartoon means the editor “agrees with the idea of moral equivalence” borders on slander.

Editors with the integrity to run controversial, thought-provoking cartoons are true defenders of our culture.

Tom Driscoll
Poulsbo