Jesse Helms Re-Election Campaign

10/11/90
Ms. Jane Helms Knox
Helms for Senate Committee
Raleigh, N.C. 27690-1159

Dear Jane:

Take a breather and put your feet up, because your father isn't going to lose his Senate seat to a liberal black man, no matter what the TV ads are claiming. Certainly not in North Carolina, with the powerful backing of the tobacco industry. Did you know that 142,000 Americans will die from lung cancer in 1990?

I was surprised to receive your impassioned daughterly appeal for cash support. As a registered Democrat (and contributor to Harvey Gantt's campaign fund) who has already written four letters to Congress protesting your father's N.E.A. policies, I can only assume that the mailing-list company which sold you my name did you a disservice by so drastically misjudging my political leanings. In fact, nothing would give me greater pleasure, short of total eradication of all deadly diseases, an end to world hunger and pollution, or the peaceful resolution of the Gulf crisis, than to see Jesse Helms go down in defeat. Of course that sort of thing would only happen in a fair and just universe, so I wouldn't lose any sleep worrying about it if I were you.

I have always felt that your father's efforts toward introducing prayer into the classroom serve to further blur the ever-fading line our country's founders laid down to insure the separation of church and state. With regards to Mr. Helms' consistently pro-censorship stand on the National Endowment for the Arts, I would like to state that I would never be in favor of appointing a group of artists -- who have no knowledge in the field of government -- to sit in judgment of all monies to be allotted for the expenses and salaries of U.S. Senators. I understand that only qualified arbiters from the specific fields being reviewed would be adequately equipped to evaluate needs and merit. I further expect that I might not personally approve of all their decisions. Those awards and rulings which run contrary to my particular aesthetic would be a small price to pay to safeguard the greater good.

It is for these reasons that I conclude that "Citizen Helms" is so much more pleasing to my ear than "Senator Helms" and, therefore, I cannot -- in good conscience -- commit my money or efforts to support his re-election. To that end, I would like to thank you personally, Ms. Knox, for providing the Business Reply envelope so this communiqué will at least cost the Helms campaign fund the price of postage.

Sincerely,


Jake Daehler


WGA registered 2010