Is Mayor Tom Leppert the Second Coming of Joe McCarthy?

Categories: City Hall, Media

Sam Merten
If disagreeing with Leppert on the convention center hotel and Trinity Turnpike makes me a Commie, then so be it.
With the exception of strolling over to Schutze's office, it's hard to find anyone in the media willing to criticize Mayor Tom, but Advocate publisher Rick Wamre is quickly rising up Leppert's naughty list, and his blog yesterday on Back Talk might vault him up to the top spot.

While discussing Angela Hunt's latest spat with The News, Wamre says Leppert is behind the "if you're not for us, you're against us" mentality permeating City Hall. He also claims "you're not only wrong, you don't believe in Dallas and you're not being a supportive citizen" in the eyes of the mayor if you disagree with him on issues like the convention center hotel, Trinity Turnpike or anything else he's selling.

Wamre's commentary is a must-read, and his most biting criticism compares the mayor's attitude to a certain Commie hater. C'mon, Rick, tell us what you really think.

In fact, that kind of talk is reminiscent of the McCarthyism red-baiting days of the late 1940s, when merely raising a question about Sen. Joseph McCarthy's methods could easily lead to being accused of being a Communist; as a result, people were afraid to speak up and share their opinion on what turned out to be a wrong-headed, illegitimate effort to punish people who had done nothing wrong. Had more people spoken up about the folly of McCarthy's activities earlier, a lot of innocent people would have been spared.
My Voice Nation Help
0 comments
©2013 Dallas Observer, LP, All rights reserved.
Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places Dallas / Fort Worth

    Voice Places

    Find everything you're looking for in your city

  • Happy Hour App

    Happy Hour App

    Find the best happy hour deals in your city

  • Daily Deals

    Daily Deals

    Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city