Letters to the Editor
janlee25@
Published Letters: 6 Editor's Choice: 1
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A Modest Proposal
[Read the article: Obama: "I am still fired up and ready to go"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Something happened last night during the coverage of the New Hampshire Primary results. We saw the results of the head-on crash between hubris, pointless pontification of the ratings hungry news channels and Reality.
As the outcome of the primary became evident, the election coverage suddenly turned into a special edition of “Dancing with the Stars,” as panels of news reporters tried to tap dance their way into bringing equilibrium to the disparate pre-election poll and actual polling results.
Maybe it’s time to throw away the “coming attraction” previews and simply report the results as they occur on election night.
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Mike Huckabee, please leave us Christians alone!
[Read the article: Holy Constitution!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have followed the coverage of Mike Huckabee's unbelievable assertions with great dismay.
I am a strong believer in Jesus Christ's divinity and in God's loving kindness to his creation. But unlike the Robertsons, Falwells and Huckabees of this world, I do not presume to wear this as a badge of honor, implying that somehow this makes me better than others
I also strongly believe that this DOES NOT give me permission to force these beliefs on others.
Men, like Mike Huckabee, who profess divine knowledge of the Creator's plans and purpose and subsequently use this dubious "omnipotence" to propagate persecution and division do a great disservice to us all.
They present the message of God as a battle plan and represent themselves as some sort of divine sword of judgment.
There is a scripture in the bible that seems to indicate that many people who think they are deserving of eternal life in God's presence will painfully discover that He doesn't even want them around.
Sadly, to the people these Religion mongers destroy in God's name while here on earth, both physically and psychologically, the damage would have already been done.
I am tired of having my beliefs represented by the likes of Mike Huckabee! And I am sure I do not stand alone when I implore people like him to, “Leave us Christians alone!”
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Of Horses and Streams...
[Read the article: Did Hillary Clinton really win in Florida?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Flashback to 1972...
A not so "pleased as punch" Hubert Humphrey unsuccessfully tries to pry the Democratic nomination away from George McGovern by contesting the already-agreed-upon decision to recognize California's "Winner Take All" primary.
Flash-forward to 2008...
Hillary Clinton contests the already-agreed-upon decision to not recognize or seat delegates from Michigan and Florida.
Poor equestrians always blame their horses.
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I AM FINISHED!...
[Read the article: Too great to be good]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...doubting my judgement.
After spending an agonizing 2 1/2 hours slogging through the thick layers of language and semi-precious bouts of symbolism that is "There Will Be Blood," I am happy to see that I was not alone in my misgivings.
The thing that was troubling to me was not how much Daniel Day-Lewis sounded like John Huston but how much he sounded like John Glover, the scene chewing actor that plays Lex Luthor's father in "Smallville."
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In "politics as usual" there are no lines!
[Read the article: Hillary's team crosses the line]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We persist in drawing symbolic lines in the sand only to have the Clinton campaign blithely ignore their existence. Our response usually is to gripe and complain and then simply draw the line a little further down the road.
This is not a new experience. The same thing has been happening with the Bush administration for the last 7+ years. Each new offense is met with the gnashing of teeth only to be followed by a repeat of this performance a few weeks later.
I think the time has come to make the proclamation, "In 'politics as usual' there are no lines."
If any such lines exist they are in the minds and hearts of the candidates. That's why it is so important to take the full measure of the candidate. If they meet our approval than the best we can hope to gain in return for our support is the assurance that ethical choices will be made in our names.
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What's the deal with the phrase "Close the deal"?
[Read the article: Obama can't close the deal ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The phrase "Close the deal," has come to represent all that is petty and uninspired about the news coverage of the Democratic primary contests.
In a world of encapsulated, thimble-sized headlines, the condescending shorthand that the media is using to report the "ups and downs" of the candidates does an intellectual disservice to us all.
America is not in the market for a used car. There is no "deal" that has to be closed.
We need someone with the insight to not only identify the problems facing us but the ability to elucidate the solutions in a way to inspire and encourage us.
This mature approach to discourse does not lend itself to a "tell ya' what I'm gonna' do for ya'" mentality.
To reduce this selection process to "horse races," "Rocky allusions," and "used car deals" speaks to a sad inability to frame ideas for mass consumption in a cogent manner.
Instead, the reliance on "easily understood" metaphors reduces the whole process to the level of Sesame Street.