by Lynn Mandaville
It seems fitting, somehow, to say some words when something of significance comes to pass.
And I believe that the passing of Ranger Rick from the pages of Townbroadcast is a significant event.
As I understand it, the founder and editor of Townbroadcast, David T. Young, solicited Rick (not his real name) to be a contributor nine long years ago, in order to provide a conservative voice and conservative balance to his on-line newspaper.
Young also agreed to allow Rick (not his real name) to write anonymously. If it can be believed, Rick (not his real name) requested anonymity in order to protect other members of his extended family, whose political views vary widely from his own, from any harassment or unwarranted attention from the reading public.
I didn’t begin reading Ranger Rick, the column, until around the time I began to write for Mr. Young.
His views were what I consider to be far right, and his tone was almost always negative, each column ending with the bright sentiment “The rotting of America from within continues…”
As the Trump years came to an end in a blaze of insurrection and The Big Lie, Rick became more extreme in his claims, distorting history and encouraging Republican lies, egging on a certain portion of his readership to make their own extraordinary claims about current and historical events, and to taunt other writers and responders to the opinions expressed within Townbroadcast.
He had a loyal following of sycophants who believed everything he wrote was gold.
He could have been a valued contributor had his conservative views been more moderate, or had he used a filter of common courtesy in his rhetoric. After all, what value is public discourse if not promoted by reasonable discussion, where information is offered factually and unemotionally?
But Rick’s method of communicating was inflammatory, if not bullying, in nature. And that’s what it produced in those who responded to his columns and to anyone who dared disagree with him in print.
I know that I am no paragon of virtue as a contributor to Townbroadcast.
I have lapsed into emotional diatribes, particularly when gun violence has reared its ugly head again and again in recent years.
I have employed hyperbole to make a point, and have probably even resorted to what is arguably name-calling in my four years as a liberal blow-hard.
But I have never resorted to bullying and purposeful distortion of history and fact to further my political point of view.
So it is that Ranger Rick’s departure from the electronic lines of Townbroadcast is a significant event.
It is important that differing points of view exist within real world publications. Army Bob offers what, in my opinion, is as fairly balanced as my own. Bob does his research. He relies on his own personal experiences as former member of the military. He does, indeed, speak for a sizable portion of Townbroadcast readership.
The difference between Army Bob and Ranger Rick lies in the degree of animosity displayed toward anyone who disagrees with their points of view.
Both can be accused of having only one arrow in their quivers where the subjects of their columns are concerned. And neither ever acknowledges that there may be a kernel of truth to opposing views.
At least Army Bob can be civil in most of his disagreements, and make use of a personal “filter” on his comments, whether as contributor or responder. RR rarely did either. (And, I hope, RR did not speak for a sizable portion of Townbroadcast readership. Those people, I believe, are what my Pop would have described as the lunatic fringe, whether or not they were right-leaning or left.)
I don’t mourn the “passing” of Ranger Rick so much as I am relieved to see him gone, much like I used to be relieved when my schoolyard bully Bart Bale was absent from school.
There is a liberated feeling now, knowing I won’t have to anticipate the venom that might result from whatever my mind might care to share.
And that goes double in the knowing that another anonymous mouth has been silenced with the “cancelling” of Don’t Tread On Me.
It is my own opinion that along with the tremendous freedom of the First Amendment comes the obligation of ownership of that speech (with only a few exceptions, such as whistleblowers, where the identity of the speaker could cause him dire harm).
It is my own opinion that those who hide needlessly behind pseudonyms are cowards, and that their speech must be taken with a grain of salt because of their lack of commitment to it.
With the “passing” of Ranger Rick I would encourage a passing of the anonymity with which readers rely to find their courage to speak out.
Anonymity breeds false courage and an exaggerated bravado in exercising free speech.
Owning up to one’s opinions takes some guts, a willingness to be vulnerable, and a profound hope that those who agree with you will come to your defense in a civil manner.
The significance of Ranger Rick’s self-imposed exile lies in the fact that truth will overcome falsehood by virtue of its own strength.
Opinions offered in the full light of day, regardless of political leaning, carry more weight than those offered under the cloak of anonymity and the shadow of incivility.
You have the right to editorialize, but I think it’s rather unfair to disparage RR and DTOM as bullies when they are no longer here to defend themselves. I also find it contradictory that you stated in your opening that RR kept his identity anonymous (for some reason you had to say “not his real name” 3 times??) to protect his family then later inferred that he and DTOM are cowards for that anonymity. These are the days when REAL bullies dox the people with whom they disagree, putting others in danger.
Your diatribe against anonymity is confusing. As a former librarian, can you not think of one person who used a pseudonym to write or speak out anonymously? How many women writers would have been published 100 years ago or more had they not assumed a pseudonym? Were they cowards?
Here is a list of those who used pseudonyms in the American Constitutional Debates. Were they cowards?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pseudonyms_used_in_the_American_Constitutional_debates
Again, in today’s climate, keeping one’s identity a secret, even on this little forum, is not cowardly but sensible.
I also dislike the name calling, but I see it on both sides, though it was the Left who demanded “safe spaces” and cried over “mean tweets” by DJT. I do appreciate you owning up to your own biases, though you forgot to mention your vitriol toward President Trump. Constructive criticism is fine, but the 24/7/365 “Orange Man Bad” narrative and outright hatred by the Left toward anyone who supported him divided us as a nation, hurt families and friendships, and, yes, frustrated guest writers. An example is how virtually nothing was said about the riots, fires, destruction, and deaths around the country all last summer–Wash. DC being one of the places literally on fire–yet Jan. 6th was the worst “insurrection” and violence “since the Civil War.” Really, when there is actual video of guards letting people in the Capitol building and they even stayed within the ropes? They were committing violence but had time to take selfies? Then there’s the evidence of John Sullivan from Antifa dressed in MAGA hat proving infiltration to MAKE TRUMP LOOK BAD!!!! but since it doesn’t fit the narrative, that info is passed over. Also, even though Officer Sicknick was later found out to have died of natural causes (stroke), the Left still says he was murdered with a fire extinguisher. Ashli Babbit’s death, however, doesn’t seem to matter, as we still don’t have the name of who shot her. This is just one example of one-sided reporting and people who believe what they’re told by MSM, those 6 companies who own 90% the media, without researching. Since you couldn’t help yourself but mention this “insurrection,” I include you in that. Lynn, do you really think that, with all the guns the red-blooded, God fearing, 2nd Amendment loving people in this country own there would be NO deaths caused by them in this so-called insurrection? Ashli Babbit killed by an unnamed cop, Brian Sicknick died of a stroke, and two (three?) others died of natural causes. If this was an “insurrection” they really sucked at it.
I use this example to show how things can escalate because everyone wants to be right and won’t budge, even when shown proof of misinformation. I’m not defending RR or DTOM for their unkind words, but I must point out that there were those who were equally unkind and mocked them. DTOM should not have pushed/dared David Young to ban him, and David Young should have been more professional, not letting DTOM trigger him. I think that anyone who takes the time to try to engage with others, whether they agree or don’t, should be respected. This used to be called “dialogue” and “debate.” Now it’s verbal war, and that’s just sad. We all have lost patience with others and said things we later regretted, but this has gone too far. As a Christian, I ask forgiveness when I am wrong and forgive others when they offend me, whether they ask for that or not.
Respectfully,
An anonymous person named DC
Ope, looks like DC is taking up RR/DTOM’s abandoned mantle of cowardly anonymity. Your long diatribe here is yellow-bellied un- American Fake News—far below any self-professed “high road.” You are sealioning. It is tiresome. Way to completely validate everything Ms. Mandaville kindly wrote in her column here. Why don’t you give truth and standing behind your words a try next time, DC?
Signed,
Jake Gless
DC
Excellent response, well said and not a harsh word used.
Thank you, Harry. I realize I should have used “implied,” rather than “inferred,” but there’s no editing available.
I hope I didn’t come off as preachy but as one who tries to understand and foster peace. I think the writers are good people, as are those who stop by to comment. We can all do better. It’s never wrong to take the higher road.
Anyone being anonymous most likely is hiding something. RR and DTOM pushed their views demeaning anyone who disagreed with them. As far as the left causing a split in the country, is half false, the far right is as much to blame. People complain about CNN, but FOX News is all true? Anyone who thinks Jan. 6 was peaceful must be blind. I saw no video of capitol police letting people in. I did see capitol police trapped in doorways. How long does it take to take a selfie, 2 to 3 seconds? As far as i have heard a stroke is caused by some kind of trauma or stress, so much for natural causes. I agree with you this country needs to chill out and get along. If we were all the same, we would all drive Fords have a Kenmore frig, buy gas at Shell, you get the picture. Have a good day, DC.
Ms. Mandaville, thanks for your good thoughts. Townbroadcast’s recent changes remind me of the relief one feels when neighbors finally let their barking dogs back into the house. The barking was always the same, it didn’t inform, it didn’t make the dogs or the neighbors feel any better, and though other dogs sometimes barked in response, in the end it was all just noise. I’m pretty sure their barks won’t be missed. Winston Churchill cautioned us: “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” But I do hope that the additional peace & quiet might help us to sleep more soundly and think more clearly, so in the future we’ll all have more energy for making progress, instead of making noise and throwing stones.