Wayne Lutz responds to Karen Porter's crass characterization of Rich and his supporters.
To the editor:
An Open Letter from a Common Thug
What a lovely town West Chester is! I have lived half my life in the Philadelphia area and this past Saturday was the first time I've ever been to your town, and I did not realize what I've been missing! Attractive, clean streets, quaint shops, interesting architecture. What a shame to ruin it by allowing in a thug like me and "my kind." When I and a few close friends arrived on that beautiful, clear, and dry weekend, I have no doubt that property values immediately took a nosedive. For that I do apologize, but it was for a worthy cause, as I shall try to articulate.
Your story of September 30, by Justin McAneny, titled "Protesters Gather in West Chester" tells much of the tale. It is a sordid and complex affair, one side saying this and the other side saying that about protests in general and the war against radical Islam in particular. I would not try to argue the war here – it's been done to death. What I would like to point out, however, is the blindingly obvious hypocrisy, elitist snobbery, and sheer, seething hatred that is evident in the written diatribe sent out by the "director of the Chester County Peace Movement," Ms. Karen Porter, in describing the people and events of that day. For the sake of clarity, I shall refer to the people on that "side" as the "liberals," and the people on my side as the "thugs."
"Thug," you see, was one of the many descriptive terms used Ms. Porter to describe me and some of my friends in her "newsletter." The interesting thing about this is that she has never seen or heard of me before. She does not know me, none of them spoke to me that day, nor did I speak to any of them. So how did they know that I am a "thug?" Why, by the position I took on the issues, is all that I can assume. That, and the fact that I am (among other things) a…..biker! You may now indicate your righteous indignation with a sharp intake of the breath.
This quote from your newspaper article is telling: "I was quite surprised by his [Richard Davis'] speech," Porter said, "all the name calling."
This is quite stunning, in that in her own newsletter written the very next day, Ms. Porter called us, "thug," "grey-bearded men in their leather jackets and metal studs, with their phallic motorcycles with hideous roaring engines," (there were three motorcycles present, and they were parked), "sad and pitiful men," "death-cheering women, "hardened and wrinkled faces showing hatred that mothers and daughters just shouldn't show," "harbingers of the very worst mankind has to offer." Ms. Porter even resorted to that old liberal standby; comparing us to the "KKK," we who dare to stand there holding American flags. How horrible, holding American flags!
No, that was incorrect. Not "holding flags," or even "waving flags," but "waving Old Glory like swords, not like flags." Yes, that was us, charging with our flags, impaling old ladies and batting aside small children and puppies.
To Ms. Porter, we are men "decked out in gray beards on those wrinkled faces and leather and metal" and pursuing "those old men's wet dreams." This is quite hurtful to me, as I've always preferred to think of myself as "ruggedly handsome."
The fact, of course, is that Ms. Porter does not know me at all, nor does she care to. She typifies the classic definition of liberal elitist, a snob whose preconceptions and bigotries are all that matter. Yes, I said it. Ms. Porter is a bigot (and I assume that by association her followers are equally bigoted), and her very own written words damn her – she does not need me or my fellow thugs to do that.
Ms. Porter and her minions were livid that we "Outsiders" had come to her beloved corner of West Chester to upset her myopic world view. She made that point several times, that we (just a few of us, in fact) are not residents of West Chester. What Ms. Porter does not seem to "get" is that she and her group are not out there protesting the "War in West Chester." Nor are they calling for the impeachment of the Mayor of West Chester. They are protesting the United States, and calling for the impeachment of the President of the United States. Last time I checked I was a citizen of the United States, the same United States that I honorably served for ten years, and if Ms. Porter is insulted by "Outsiders" then she should confine her protests to local issues. What is it about that concept that is so hard to understand?
No, the objection to "outsiders" is just one more glaring example of the elitist snobbery and outright bigotry that permeates her entire written screed.
Let me close by clarifying something about myself to Karen Porter and her fellow bigots, and to the good citizens of West Chester. In her "newsletter," inserted there among paragraph after paragraph of insults, "name calling," and utterly ignorant and unfounded assumptions about who we are (can you say "prejudice?), Ms. Porter says that we are "Men who should know better, who should be at better places in their lives, men who should be making positive contributions to our young folks' futures…"
So allow me to introduce myself, Ms. Porter. I am Wayne Lutz. I am the Chief Operations Officer of a large church in Philadelphia. I am a professional writer, published in newspapers, consumer magazines, other print and electronic media.
I am the founder and executive director of a non-profit technology company that teaches computer skills to the poor, for free, in a large computer lab/classroom that I built with my own hands on my own time. We also refurbish used computers and give them away to the poor in the hopes of helping them build better lives.
I am actively involved in youth projects aimed at saving as many urban youths as we can reach. I oversee a food bank which gives bags of groceries to the poor – no questions asked.
You mention in your written screed that one of your members couldn't be there Saturday because he was at a military funeral. I have attended 30 such funerals in the past two years, Ms. Porter, often riding my "hideous," "phallic motorcycle" hundreds of miles in harsh weather conditions to get there. I actively work to give support and aid to the family members of our military men and women. I have a stack of letters, certificates, medallions, mementos and plaques as high as my knees from family members, active duty military members and officers and commanders, thanking me for the work that I do for them every day of my life. I get three weeks of vacation each year and I use every one of those 21 days for these troop-and-veterans activities, as required.
I am the Ride Captain for the South East PA Patriot Guard riders, who shield grieving families from hate-filled "protesters," people like you, Ms. Porter, who would bring even more pain to them if they could with your thoughtless, irresponsible little signs.
I am the Pennsylvania Coordinator for the Gathering of Eagles, a grassroots group of Patriots and heroes.
I am a member of the Friends of the Forgotten, a POW/MIA awareness group, and their volunteer webmaster.
I am the assistant Director of the Marne Riders, the motorcycle branch of the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division. We do things for soldiers and their families at Walter Reed Hospital that you could not comprehend, Ms. Porter.
I am a member of the Cold War Veteran's Association, who lobbies and works for the benefit and living conditions of veterans and their families.
I am a member of the Greater Glenside Patriotic Association.
I am a member of the 5th Street Revitalization Advisory Committee, a group dedicated to revitalizing a run down urban area for the benefit of all of the working class and poor citizens who live there.
I am all of those things, Ms. Porter, and more. And yet, all you saw was a "thug" acting out a "wet dream."
What does that make you?
Wayne Lutz
Rich Davis Responds to Karen's blathering:
Karen,
I am speechless, astounded really.
I too, am not a doormat. Please don't ever call me a trouble-maker or violent or war-monger again. You have a lot of nerve calling me a "name caller".
Whenever you point a finger, there's 4 pointing back at you. And how dare you insult my daughter! You know nothing about her, what's on her mind or whats happening in her day or life. She is doing 3 internships, full-time class schedule, part-time job, helping raise her neices, and other things. If you had taken a second to cross the street and say "Hello" to her, you would have been surprised how pleasant and nice she is. But instead, you sit and judge... If I had seen your son show up, I would have crossed the street and said, "Hello, I've heard so many great things about you." But that's me. When I showed up to counter you the 2nd time (it was just me and my stepdaughter Jamie) a woman came running up to us we were coming towards you screaming and yelling, "We're trying to save lives, you son of a bitch" he repeated the SOB, twice... I had to ask her to calm down.... All you have to do is ask your group this, and I'm sure they will confirm it - Also, the first time, I was cussed and I was confronted aggressively by a few of you..badgering me, not to mention I had to keep moving because your people kept trying to block my sign and me from being seen by drivers (I think it was the guy with the disfigured American Flag - with the peace symbol where the stars should be). It's okay for him to wave his flag like crazy (it's on video, on Midnight Blue blog) but patriotic bikers are attacked by you for having flags.... I didn't make a big deal out of it out of the way some of your peace people treated me the first couple times. I didn't complain, or threaten to call the police - I'm tougher than that, but I was shocked that your group (not all, but a significant few), supposedly for peace and tolerance, could not control their emotions. I thought to myself, "my goodness, they've been here every single week for years and someone shows up with a different sign and they can't handle it ?"..... I was surprised. And I was disappointed that no one stepped forward and said anything to calm them down.... - maybe you didn't notice? I guess you're blind to any meaness or aggression coming from your side. By the 3rd week, things seemed to settling - you still didn't like me being there (of course) but at least the civility was beginning. I was happy to talk to Peter Lane when he called me on my home phone, and I was happy to meet you Karen, I really thought we could set a great example. But, I guess you are so blinded by your mission that you didn't see God there yesterday. I did. I thought we were all assembled for over 4 hours total (minus lunchtime between protests) and yet there was no problem... instead of praising each side you were seething inside..... why? because we don't agree with you - you see no good in us at all. You refuse to see any good in us - because we have the audacity to not think like you or like you want us too... I've done my best to explain how I feel about what you say about me in your newsletter, you can mock my effort, and me, some more, if you want.
Rich Davis
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