Letters to the Editor
Gams on Glass
Published Letters: 284 Editor's Choice: 6
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Reality-based Liberal
[Read the article: Too great to be good]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I definately agree with some of what you are saying. A) The movie is about an industry, not exactly a man... some people do not like these sorts of approaches, and it could be easy to see how some people read that as "oh god, this is supposed to be some sort of EPIC."
you could say this is a point made shown by Plainview's early, open, affection towards his son which dissipates into his cold-hearted closure from his son. I do like what you say regarding thi s not being a character study, and in some ways, Plainview's history is a mystery, supporting your conclusion. We can derive some things. For example, his hatred of the preacher, which started with contempt, becomes rage once he hears that the young Mary is beaten for not praying. When it is later mentioned by the fake brother that he knew Plainview did not get along with their father, it is clear Plainview was a victim of beating, molestation or both as a child. But, yes, much about Plainview's personal fundamental motivations is hidden from the audience, and not just by Lewis, but also the framing of the story by the director.
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Credulity
[Read the article: Osama bin Laden's "Second Life"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While it obviously is silly to think that SL might become a serious recruiting tool for assorted terrorist organizations, I don't think it is THAT crazy. The anonymity of the web could allow people to express there hidden ideological biases, in the same way that it allows people to explore their sexual fetishes, for example. Exposure to the ideas and concepts can be quite an inspiration.
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April Fools day?
[Read the article: It's OK to vote for Obama because he's black]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am convinced it must be April 1st, based on the utter silliness going on at Salon today. This is a profoundly offensive article and Kamiya should be banned from these pages forever. This is the kind of article that can and should have editors removed from their positions.
While no doubt some people will vote on the basis of race, and any number of Hillary supporters are influenced by her gender, it is very difficult to suggest that until the SC primary and Jesse Jackson Jr's inane race-baiting involvement that there was any more than a hint of racial alignment with regards to the Obama campaign and his supporters.
No doubt Kamiya and Walsh think this is a bold piece that directly confronts... something.... but it is nothing more than mindless racializing and offensive to people of all races. The assertion that 'whites,' as a populace, are excited to vote for a black guy is deeply sick.
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Team SPIRIT!!
[Read the article: Java panic: Starbucks closing all stores Tuesday evening]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]And nothing inspires team morale better than a mandatory bullshit meeting.
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Farrakhan anecdote
[Read the article: Some hateful, radical ministers -- white evangelicals -- are acceptable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Whilst in University, a coworker and I travel to a locale where farrakhan was speaking. After a boozy night out, i was in no mood for the Minister's antics, but my co-worker went. According to him, after the speech, and during the bagels and meet-the-man brunchish reception, Farrakhan turned to him, stuck his hand out and said: "So, I hear you go to the JEWniversity of Pennsylvania."
Hilarious!
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Dirigo
[Read the article: Some hateful, radical ministers -- white evangelicals -- are acceptable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]'He read DuBois, Hughes, Wright, Ellison, Baldwin, and concluded - as only a young man can - that each had ended his life exhausted and bitter. 'Only Malcolm X's autobiography seemed to offer something different. His repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me.'
I take issue with this.... James baldwin was ALWAYS exhausted and bitter.
Another (non-personal) anecdote:
After a rancourous meeting with then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy, a slouched and defeated baldwin muttered to himself quietly in the back seat of his car as it drove off. A few minutes later he spotted a corner bar at which he pointed his driver over to the side of the road, and turned to his associates:
"I need a drink." he said. "I must decompress!"
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Dirigo (correction)
[Read the article: Some hateful, radical ministers -- white evangelicals -- are acceptable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was pretty close, but found the exact anecdote on google:
"The following interview with James Baldwin occurred under extraordinary circumstances. We were scheduled to be at the television studio at 5:00 P.M. on Friday, May 24, 1963, the day of the well-publicized meeting between Attorney General Robert Kennedy and James Baldwin and some of his friends. The meeting had aroused in all of us an intense level of emotions. The seeming inability to communicate the passionate insistence of Mr. Baldwin that the Attorney General had to understand the sense of urgency of the Negro people, and the need of the Attorney General to protect the image of liberal concern within the context of political realism had contributed to an excruciating sense of impasse. The meeting continued for nearly three hours, and resulted in Mr. Baldwin's and my being an hour and a half late for the taping of the interview. On the way to the studio, it was clear that the emotionality and general sense of frustration resulting from the meeting with the Attorney General would be carried over into the interview. Indeed, many times in the taxicab, Baldwin said that he was not sure that he would be able to go through with the interview. He stated repeatedly, "Kenneth, all I need is a drink. Can't we stop at the nearest bar? I must decompress."
http://negroartist.com/writings/MALCOLM%20X/The%20Negro%20Protest.htm
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Not a maverick
[Read the article: Interview with Bill Donohue: Catholic League denounces McCain]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]No 'Maverick' items here... No one really takes Donahue all that seriously (although I REALLY) give him some credit for consistancy. However, should the word get out that McCain is anti-Papist, he could be sure to lose some notable votes potential swing states, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, although Ohio is the only one I consider a REAL swing state as the other two are always suggested as such, but are acrually fairly consistant.
Otherwise, I have to say, while Donahue is a freakshow, it is nice to see the publicization of such white-on-white (sort of) bigotry made overt to the public to hopefully induce some sort of shame, that most Catholic of emotion, on the evangelist-sympathists.