Is Morganelli Pure Enough?

John Morganelli

Most people running for office establish Facebook pages for that purpose. In most cases, these candidates will permit anyone to post comments. After all, they are trying to create interest in their campaigns.They do attract supporters, but they also support what I call political trolls. These are people who already support other candidates. They only post on the candidate's page to flame him or her.

Unlike most candidates, Congressional candidate John Morganelli is using his personal Facebook page to promote his campaign. Like other candidates, he has attracted a few political trolls who are trying to shout him down,much as they did at the partisan NextGen debate a few weeks ago. These so-called liberals are only tolerant of those who agree with them. One of them, a Sue Wild supporter, came onto John Morganelli's Facebook page to attack him and claim he is not Democratic enough. Morganelli answered him, and I thought I'd share what he said in a forum where no one could shout him down.

I respect your opinion, but what is it based upon? Here are the facts:

. Started working for Democratic candidates at age 12. Was a member of Teenage Democrats and Young Democrats.

. Was a member of Executive Committee of Bethlehem Democratic City Committee.

. Chaired numerous Democratic campaigns in Northampton County over a period of 30 years as well chaired Democratic voter registration drives and county Democratic Dinners.

. Had numerous fundraisers at my home raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for people like Governor Wolf, Joe Sestak and local candidates.

. Personally contributed over a hundred thousand dollars to Democrats.

. Am a pro labor, pro public education, got an F from NRA , support Medicare for all, hired more women and minorities on my staff than any other DA, fought racial profiling , advocated to ban the box, initiated the county’s first mental health court , supported drug court,

I could go on and on. But yes, I am for secure borders.

I disagree with John's stance on illegal immigration. I oppose the death penalty. But John is a Democrat, and one who actually tolerates views that differ from his. So much so that he directed the dismissal of trespass charges brought against antiwar protesters demonstrating outside the Palmer Post Office.Free speech. He dismissed charges against a libertarian who was charged criminally for choosing to fly the American flag upside down. Free speech. He directed dismissal of littering charges brought against a Trump supporter who plastered West Easton with pro-Trump signs. Free speech. And yes, he is one of the few Democrats who has been willing to speak to the tea party. Free speech.

The First Amendment is first for a reason. Without it, our form of government crumbles. You should support whomever you want in Congress. But I am offended at the trolls who have shouted John down at debates and have even come on his own personal Facebook page to attack him. It is highly ironic that those who preach tolerance are so bad at practicing it. It is also disappointing, but far from surprising, that none of John's supposedly more liberal colleagues defended his right to speak as he was shouted down in the NextGen debate.

While ideologues allow the good to be the enemy of the perfect, it is important to remember that two very formidable candidates are running on the Republican side in a "toss up" district. The only Democrat who can beat either one of them is John Morganelli.