OPINION — In his Feb. 4 response to my Jan. 28 letter, Dave Frank did not engage the position I actually laid out. Instead, he attributed to me the most extreme version of a view I explicitly rejected.
This is a lazy tactic in public debate: push someone you disagree with into an extreme corner, then argue against that caricature so you never have to engage the actual ideas presented.
My original letter affirmed secure borders, the rule of law and respect for law enforcement. It invited Republicans and independents who share concerns about federal overreach to participate in peaceful, orderly civic engagement. Nothing in it argued for open borders, harboring criminals or tolerating violence.
