OPINION:
I learned about “projection” long ago, in Central America. Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio “Tacho” Somoza, soon to be overthrown, had been under attack by journalist Pedro Joaquin Chamorro. In 1978, Chamorro shifted his focus to the local communists. Soon thereafter, he was assassinated. The political left blamed Somoza. Eventually, the nation learned the communists had done it, But by then, The Sandinistas were in power and it was too late.
The ruse turned out to be a left-wing fad — blame rivals for what they themselves were up to. Cleverly, it not only diverted unwelcome attention, but also made adversaries defend their innocence, shifting the burden of proof away from them.
Soon the world caught on and coined a word for it: “projection.” By then, it no longer worked well. Leftists still carp at election deniers ( “To Biden and the left, being an ‘election denier’ is one rung below child molester,” Web, Nov. 6). But they’ve overdone it. The more they swear, on their word of honor as Democrats, that the election was not stolen, the clearer it is that it was.
JOHN S. MASON JR.
Irvington, Virginia
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