To the Editor:

A portion of an Alfred Tennyson quote is, “That a life which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies.” America is now a land of many elected or appointed officials who only survive because of their half-truths. It starts with the bottom rung, as in cities and towns. It rises to governors and general assemblies. From there to Congress, and ultimately to the presidency. Half-truths are all we hear in America today.
March 4, at the close of a 25th anniversary tribute to the Peter, Paul and Mary trio, Paul spoke, perhaps not verbatim, but he said, “Lies come from the spoken word. Even some seeking political office as high as the presidency.” I immediately thought about our current president, the best at speaking in half-truths. Let’s see if I can make Tennyson’s point.
When President Clinton looked into a camera, pointed his finger and said, “I didn’t have sex with that woman,” it was a lie and was proven to be so. As when members of Congress lie, no matter which party they represent, the truth eventually surfaces. However, in today’s society many elected and/or appointed officials speak half-truths to the detriment of our cities, towns, states and, or course, America and its people.
On March 6, President Obama held his first 2012 press conference. As I sat and listened to his braggadocio, I reflected back to Paul and what he said about elected officials not speaking the truth. Then, when asked if the press conference was conveniently scheduled the same day as Super Tuesday for Republican presidential candidates, the response: No, it had been scheduled but not announced; a half-truth at its best.
That same day on March 6, I sat and wrote a third letter to President Obama, the gold medal winner of half-truths. I finished the letter March 8 and sent it to the president’s registered mail. That letter was received and signed for March 21, so someone has read its content.
My thoughts and point of view of this president and his administration have not changed from an original letter dated March 21, 2009. I repeated the following sentence, “Mr. President, what America needs today more than the printing of money is a strong dose of the truth.” Ingrained in the minds of a majority of Rhode Islanders is a misconception that only Republicans lie. Well, if that were true, then it’s better than half-truths that are being spewed from Obama on down. God bless America, as well as the religious freedoms we still enjoy today but not without a fight.
I’ve personally met Presidents Carter and Reagan, as well as President Marcos of the Philippine Islands, Vice President George H.W. Bush, Pope John Paul II, as well as many dignitaries from different walks of life who I agreed and disagreed with. However, my view of many of today’s leaders is they are only for what they can gain from their half-truths, with little regard for the American people. I’m a proud American, born and bred in the U.S.A. When called, I served my country and returned home as an American veteran; not as a Republican, Democrat, independent or other. Veterans, more any other class of people in America – black, white, Hispanic, yellow, etc., deserve to be told the truth and not subjected to half-truths veiled in a wailing of pious pity for their service and sacrifices.
We need to discontinue the Obama agenda based on class warfare. How much longer will this president continue to speak in half-truths with a finger of blame pointed at others for this country’s current resurgence of rich vs. poor, while he flies free of charge from fundraiser to fundraiser.
I close this letter with a question I asked of the president in the March 6, 2012 letter. “Is America better off today after three years under your presidency than it was when you took office?” I don’t expect a response. I also would not object if this paper, or any paper, were to print anything that I’ve written in any one of my letters.
God bless America forever.

Ernest F. Pitochelli Sr.
Johnston