Leonard Pitts’ column (“Race is just the last straw,” March 1) perfectly exemplifies the panicking left. There surely is a last straw evidenced by Mr. Pitts’ words, but that straw is the charge of racism itself rather than the race of Barack Obama.

When debate against a valid, opposing viewpoint fails, the left unfailingly retreats to charges of racism. It is their hole card.

In spite of the lack of convincing evidence, the existence of evidence to the contrary, the utter lack of cogent, believable explanation or a refutation of their dissent, Mr. Pitts declares it fact: The tea party is racist.

The cohort he cites to shore his argument, Mr. Olbermann, is just as, if not more, unconvincing or credible. In fact, in hitching his wagon to Keith Olbermann, Mr. Pitts is hitching his reputation to a horse charging headlong into a burning barn, a la Air America.

I am not a tea partier, but I respect their right to dissent absent the Fourth Estate’s disgustingly false charges of racism.

Eric Morris

Spokane