Dear Editor: The tea party and other right-wing extremists have a new poster boy in state Rep. Bob Gannon, R-Slinger. Gannon is the pugnacious, bald-headed gun nut who recently made headlines for flipping the bird at one of his political opponents. John Nichols correctly observed that Gannon was “giving the finger” to all of Milwaukee when he made that vile gesture to Democratic Minority Leader Peter Barca on the floor of the Assembly. It was also a clear reminder to the entire state that racism, fear and hate now dictate much of the dialogue within the Republican Party.