Below is a letter to the editor in yesterday’s Marietta Daily Journal

Johnny Plunkett/Letter to the Editor: League on smear campaign

Published: 10/28/2007

I don’t think its fair for the Anti-Defamation League to make wild, slanderous comments against MDJ columnist D.A. King, attempting to link him with hate-mongers.

I have heard him talk several times.

He is a forceful speaker, but I have never heard him utter a mean or derogatory word about anyone’s ethnic or cultural heritage.

If he is really such a bad guy, then there should be dozens of articleshe has written they could give examples of.

King has tried hard to keep the racists and nuts who flock to any issue away from his activities.

What seems to be behind attacks on decent folks by groups like the ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center is their need to attract corporations and prominent people to pay their bills.

These high-level financial sponsors often have some sort of agenda to promote, and they will use organizations like the ADL and SPLC as tools to shut down the discussion of an issue.

The watchdog groups build up a record of going after true problem people and organizations, Ku Kluxers, skinhead thugs and Nazis who need to be exposed.

Then they use that credibility to smear anyone they disagree with by connecting them with such scum by citing some careless word or accidental association.

It’s a shameful tactic but a very effective one.