In response: GOP does not control U.S. media

How dare William A. Swenson, in his Oct. 1 Local View commentary, "Republican strategy: Confuse, regain power, pillage America," make such hateful remarks?

We should be proud of all Americans who choose to represent us in local, state and national politics. We should be just as proud to know we can freely choose who our representatives are.

Let me offer a reminder that the vast majority of elected leaders, on both sides of the aisle, are honest, hard-working Americans who only want what's best for our country and its future.

Further, how did Swenson, a University of Wisconsin-Superior professor emeritus, come to the conclusion that America's media is "controlled by Republicans?" Does he really want us to believe that CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, (not to mention Bravo, CNBC, and MSNBC) are Republican-controlled? The only network that can be legitimately considered conservative-leaning is the Fox News cable channel. The last I heard, there is no law that says anyone has to tune in to Fox

every night.

Does the writer really want us to believe his Local View commentary was published in a local, Republican-controlled newspaper?

And are we really to believe that those who have money are simply rich because of inheritance, and that they are, as the writer stated, "do-nothings?" Should we unequivocally state that none of those who have become successful did so through their own hard work and sacrifice, that none of them might have reached this status because they risked all they had to fulfill a dream?

I will be the first to state the writer has every right to publish vile hate, even as much as I may find it disgusting or un-American. It is his First Amendment right. And I would be the last to suggest to anyone how to vote. Whom you choose to vote for is your privilege.

What's truly disgusting to me is that we use tax dollars to pay this person to teach this hateful rhetoric to our children as a representative of Wisconsin's higher learning.

Duane Anderson of Superior owns and operates an online business that sells imported Swedish shoes.