Far right launches major fake rage attack on liberal blogger

It seems the fringe right fauxrage brigade organized a hate mob against Erik Loomis who blogs at Lawyers, Guns and Money. They're engaging in their favorite pastime, trying to get him fired. They've deluged his university with protest mail. The university responded by validating their deceit and publicly reprimanding Erik. And that wasn't even the worst of it. He was also questioned by the State Police. [details at the link]

I generally ignore this pack of lunatics when they're just mindlessly sniping but this is step too far to leave unchallenged. It would be good to counter them with a show of support for Erik. I sent the following email to:

Dean Winnie Brownell: winnie@mail.uri.edu
Provost Donald DeHays: ddehayes@uri.edu
President David Dooley: davedooley@mail.uri.edu

It's come to my attention that one of your untenured professors, Erik Loomis, has become the target of a vicious smear campaign by a group of unhinged, far right extremists whose main mission in life is to destroy anyone who disagrees with their world view. These people are guilty of using far more incendiary language and in fact, actual threats of violence against their political opponents.

Please do not let them deceive you with their false flag operation. They have no interest in civil discourse. Mr. Loomis, in the heat of emotion we all felt at the news of the Sandy Hook massacre used a common metaphor to express his grief and outrage at the indignity of this avoidable loss of young lives. It couldn't be more clear to everyone, including those who launched this falsely premised vendetta, Mr. Loomis meant no actual threat against Mr. LaPierre.

I have been reading his work for years and I assure you there are few greater advocates for civil society than Professor Loomis. I urge you to stand in full support of Mr. Loomis and rescind your censure of his remarks.

I would urge everyone to do the same. Feel free to steal mine, or write something more eloquent.