Letters to the Editor
Stellaa
Published Letters: 189 Editor's Choice: 14
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Autobiography sells, fiction does not.
[Read the article: Attention, all you memoir fabulists!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This young lady lied. Her father also a writer knew it was a lie. The publisher failed to do their job of checking out the details, maybe even meeting with the girl. They are both to blame. This is junk. Why call it autobiography? Cause victimhood and drama sell, fiction does not.
Super achieving people think they are owed and they can bend core values of a society. That is bullshit. She is a little liar and should be put in her place. Kids lie in college resumes about community work and so on.
It was funny the same day the NY Times had the story about the chef Robert Irvine, star of Dinner Impossible on Food Network, who manufactured a resume. They did not check the resume either.
It has become common place to lie on resumes and in life stories. It has become common place for people to not check things out.
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Critical thinking!!
[Read the article: Some free advice for Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Keep it up we need all we can get. Voters need to be taught how how to ask questions. They do not need to be told what they already know or believe. Thanks. Refreshing.
Please, can you write an article that compares and contrasts the campaigns:
including the arrogant and sometimes offensive way they have conducted this campaign
I would like to see an experienced political writer cover this issue with a clear explanation why this is an exclusive Clinton tactic. I am not a journalist or political scientist, so maybe I am not looking at or asking the right questions.
Thank you for excellent analysis.
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The Role of Jouralism
[Read the article: Tucker Carlson unintentionally reveals the role of the American press]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The role of journalism is to question people with power. Challenge them. When they stop doing that they are not a legitimate press. Frankly, this election has shown us that some of the so called A list blogs, have succumbed to being embedded journalists to various camps.
Salon, thanks for not falling victim to the heinous vitriol of partisanship. I credit you Mr. Greenwald, other writers and Joan Walsh for keeping us honest.
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Fetishizing Life
[Read the article: The bowel movement]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My father old wise Greek immigrant to America in the 60's used to say: "Americans think they invented homosexuality and the female orgasm". If he was still alive, he could add the age old tradition of being aware of what you eat and what comes out; the seasonality of food ; the benefits of a balanced diet; vegan diet 2 times a year for 40 days each stint (religious fasting) and cleansing with chamomille enemas; breast feeding babies; and making sure they sleep on their backs. The list is endless. Reinventing the past and making an industry of common human knowledge that got squelched by the Medical profession and the industrialization of food.
Unless someone puts it in a book and makes it into a fetish, people are will not pay attention. Then, they will find a new fetish and forget the old one. Till 5-10 years from now another publisher recycles the fetish. Common knowledge and wisdom does not get passed on anymore from generation to generation: it becomes a commodity and turned into a fetish.
The more years I live here the more the nation becomes like my mother, my father and the old ways of the old country. I remember taking my mom to the doctor and she would ask me to ask him what she should eat or not eat. I would tell her in Greek, mom doctors don't do that in America. And she would yell at me what kind of doctors are they if they don't know or ask about what you eat and what you poop. But of course, it's not my sweet mother or father, it's a publisher or a doctor personality on Oprah, it's a product, it's an obsession.
Of course this goes for the other life lessons, such as values, emotions etc. Self help books replaced human wisdom and advice.
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Theater of the Absurd
[Read the article: Geraldine Ferraro still needs to apologize]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Forced apologies. They mean nothing when you are little, they mean nothing when you are a politician. They are forced. I would never consider making or accepting a forced apology. The whole country is one big effing apology and people still do the wrong thing. Enough with apologies. Everyone, go out and get some manners and common sense. And don't expect any manners or common sense from a hotly contested political campaign.
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Narrative
[Read the article: Was Obama's speech enough?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obama's candidacy is based on a story. A carefully crafted story that started with the autobiographies and the speeches. The story got away from them. So, he had to give a speech to tidy up the messiness of reality. Of course the followers and the MSM are convinced. The story is back on track. Obama is absolved and Axelrod is controlling the narrative. But, somehow the bits cannot be put together again. Not everyone will bite.
If you want a story of the transcended, transformative new politician it probably worked for you. But, for some of us, it does not work. We just don't buy the shtick. Forget about the lie that for 20 years he did not know. Now the story is being rewritten for national readership.
Wonder why he did not do a press conference? Oh, forgot he answered 8 questions. He only speaks in narrative.
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@Xrandadu Hutman
[Read the article: Was Obama's speech enough?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]From Axelrod:
Axelrod says that the way to cut through all the noise is to see campaigns as an author might, to understand that you need not just ideas but also a credible and authentic character, a distinct politics rooted in personality. (“David breaks them down,” Peter Giangreco, a Chicago direct-mail consultant who often works with Axelrod, told me. “Who is your mother? Who is your father? Why are you doing this?”)
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For Obama, because of Senator Hillary Clinton’s far-greater experience and establishment backing, this is a particularly essential project. “If we run a conventional campaign and look like a conventional candidacy, we lose,” Axelrod says.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01axelrod.t.html?_r=1&ref=politics&oref=slogin
Is my source credible oh great one?
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"Middle Aged White Woman"
[Read the article: Was Obama's speech enough?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]What does Joan's age and gender have to do with her comments? Respect. Don't you people have any left?