Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 9 · column 4 of 5 · from the scan, no model involved
“Why does Mr. Jones support taxpayer funding of free needles for heroin addicts? Why does Mr. Jones support burning the American flag? And, why does Mr. Jones oppose a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution?”
Whew!! Who writes his stuff? Nice of me to print his press release, wasn’t it?
Let me respond. As far as sorting out the difference between Ben Jones and the character I played on television, I suggest he ask any ten-year-old kid. On the other hand, let him continue to think I’m being a television character. Let him be the only grownup around who can’t tell the difference. It’s true that because of the TV show, I have been given the permanent nickname “Cooter.” But the TV character, was a better man than me, more heroic, more loyal and sacrificing, and he knew a heck of a lot more about cars. I could only dream of being as free as “Crazy Cooter” Davenport.
The other issues he raises are legitimate matters of public policy, though, and deserve the response he demands. So in the next few columns I will happily do his bidding. In this one, I’ll take up the American flag issue.
“Why does Mr. Jones support burning the American flag?” he asks. Is anyone fooled by the snide, demagogic phrasing there? It is not very nice to start off a campaign by questioning the patriotism of your opponent, but that is exactly what Mr. Cantor has done.
In my misspent youth I would have taken a tire tool to someone who challenged my Americanism. But those days are, thank God, long gone. Now I deal in words. And if Mr. Cantor were a reader of either the Rappahannock News or the Fredericksburg FreeLance Star, he would have read a rather lengthy op-ed piece 1 w rote last
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