Diana Doll: D’Souza has only one thing to sell, outrage

Re “Conservative author D’Souza lures crowd to local fundraiser” (Page A4, Aug. 3): I read the summary of Dinesh D’Souza’s speech at a local conservative fund-raiser with amazement. It was hard to credit that: 1) He actually said those things, and 2) The audience believed him.

A reasonably in-depth search for facts showed that D’Souza’s punishment for breaking the law had nothing to do with “Obama’s anger.” His illegalities and unwillingness to accept responsibility determined the judge’s decision. D’Souza’s early best-seller, “Illiberal Education,” was widely applauded. Though his more recent efforts have proved popular in certain circles, reviewers and critics (including conservative scholars) have castigated them as wild-eyed and dishonest.

I find this man’s modus operandi extremely irritating. He picks a person or group, makes up unsavory characteristics for them, and then attacks them for these bogus failings. President Obama is a favorite target, as well as those of us of a moderate to liberal bent, whom he fancies are endlessly coveting our neighbors’ goods.

Oh well, this writer and speech giver is making a handsome living, apparently. Outrageousness sells.

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Diana Doll: D’Souza has only one thing to sell, outrage."