About 40 years ago, a college student took a break from his studies and came to the Vineyard. He held no public office and received no attention from the Gazette, but he made friends and enjoyed our summer resort ways. He returned often, a perennial visitor who became seasonally one of us. Years passed, the student chose a political career and rose to our highest elective office, the Presidency, a focus of national media attention.

Following his election there appeared the Anti-Obama Network, a.k.a. Fox News, a far-right purveyor of derogation of the President, his administration and his party. Foxites live a tower world of their own, far above the sordid streets of Manhattan. Here they nourish their delusions of grandeur, of being an independent power that directs the thoughts and actions of the people and the government. They assume a right to correct everyone who does not obey their instructions, even as to words used.

Failure to use their words is to them failure to understand the issues.

To the Foxites the world is a hostile place, full of bad men who threaten innocent Americans. The gory details, often repeated, are their stock in trade. To meet these threats, the Foxites advocate a strong military, able to put boots on any ground, covered by air power. Curiously, they rarely report on the Navy; seasick reporters maybe.

In the Foxite manual, with a copy on every desk for reference, the President is either too dumb or too misguided to follow their instructions. He must be replaced by a good old Republican, — over forty choices — who will make all other nations bow down to Uncle Sam.

There have been many inconveniences to the residents of our small Island in being the President’s vacation choice, most of them from his necessary security measures, but in return as a community we few can meet the human being behind the TV screen image seen by the many. To Vineyarders the President is a friendly, unpretentious, intelligent man, whose word can be trusted. History will tell which portrait is closer to the truth.

W.R. Deeble
West Tisbury