Columnist hardly has all the answers

After reading Kathleen Parker's column in the Friday, Sept. 23 Daily Herald, I have lost all respect for her as a columnist. She correctly prophesied in her column that I would write, "I used to enjoy reading you. What did you do with Kathleen Parker?"

I can overlook Ms. Parker enumerating everything the Clinton camp claims is wrong with a Trump presidency, while largely ignoring all the problems of another Clinton presidency.

But she appears to believe that she alone has all the answers, and can make choices without gathering accurate information about the alternatives. She writes that she's "ashamed to admit …" that she rarely reads columns of others because she doesn't want their thoughts to "interfere" with her own, and because "I fundamentally don't much care!" That suggests the adage, "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts!" - a horrible attitude for a columnist who wants respect from her readers.

Ms. Parker writes further, "The mystery is how anyone finds (Trump) acceptable!" She apparently doesn't understand that reading others' columns could solve that mystery. She would then know why voters support Trump - or anyone other than the tired and corrupt establishment. She would learn that Trump's followers are not against free press, immigration and the Muslim community, as the Clinton camp would have her believe, but are attempting to restore government of the people by the people and for the people.

If Ms. Parker wishes to prevent the "ascent of her father from hell" (why does she choose that image, rather than his "descent from heaven"?) to smite her for her irrational thinking, she needs to learn that she can't make intelligent choices in a vacuum. She must read others' columns to discover what is forcing American citizens to choose the Trump alternative. She can then write intelligently about the issue. Journalism 101.

Marv Schulgen

Lombard