In M.D. Harmon’s confused, rambling rant against Bernie Sanders on Feb. 26, he concludes with, “By learning history, we are supposed to avoid its mistakes and copy its successes.” Yet he provides no historical facts or sequence of events. Instead we are subjected to the favorite tools of the selfish austerity coalition (Tea party, libertarians, Republican leaders, corporate elitists) that beat their drums and pundits amplify.

First, is his sleight-of-hand innuendo that ridicules leftists as old fashioned and “weasels.” Throughout the piece he ridicules millennials as naive, uneducated and “like mayflies, alive by happenstance and fleeting present.”

Then there is the fear-mongering: Sanders will create a government that controls every aspect of your life. Harmon deceitfully equates former dictators as socialists, insinuating that socialistic countries are dictatorships, where prison camps and cemeteries are filled with dissidents. We should fear democratic socialism where “armed robbers” use a “6-1 vote” to steal your wallet.

Actually, that is today’s legislative committee controlled by lobbyists and billionaires.

Harmon irrationally dismisses Scandinavian countries for providing equal health care and education for all by mocking them for protecting people “from the vicissitudes of life,” a term to make corporate exploitation and industrial destruction look desirable.

One truth not in the national discussion is that economic systems evolve and are in flux, as Harmon reveals himself. After depicting socialistic societies as evil dictatorships, he contradicts himself by an editorial from the Federalist website that clearly shows countries that adopted extreme socialism learned their lessons and now are achieving a balance between human and business activity.

Harmon’s use of innuendo, fear-mongering, ridicule, numerous unexplained and irrational causations for social ills, and conflicting statements is unacceptable coming from a leader of the Society of Professional Journalists. His application of history is most unfortunate.

Brad Sherwood

Waterville