Letters to the Editor
ljwalker53
Published Letters: 559 Editor's Choice: 9
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Apologies
[Read the article: An old-fashioned thumpin' in South Carolina]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]TO ANONYMOUS
You're right to call me out about my "tags." I apologize. I am just so used to reading the trash-talk about Clinton that I, too, get overzealous and put everybody into a "category." That's wrong. If it's wrong for Obama's folks it's wrong for Clinton's folks.
Thanks for calling me on this. I really do appreciate having an intelligent discussion and give-and-take about the candidates, their positions, and the issues.
BTW: I have said in other posts that I don't think Barack Obama has enough experience at this time to be president. I know what he has done and don't want to give you or others the impression that I disregard his accomplishments. If I haven't said that, I'll say it now. Barack Obama is an incredibly articulate, talented, skilled and accomplished man who has done a great deal of good in his community, in the Illinois State House, and as a U.S. Senator. I see him as somebody who can be president one day. I just don't believe that this is his time. I believe that Hillary Clinton has the record, the skills, the background, and the experience to step into this role and hit the ground running. She has a command of the issues, from the work she has already done, and knows the political climate we will be facing unlike any other Democratic candidate. But I, too, will work for and support the Democratic nominee!
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@ ManyMusings
[Read the article: An old-fashioned thumpin' in South Carolina]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I apologized PUBLICLY for that post. My comments were, as I noted in that, generalizations and over-zealousness which are not the norm for me.
I work very hard not to generalize, but sometimes I slip up.
I am VERY glad that folks like you are taking me on for my generalizing because it shows me that I am making a big mistake with such thinking and that I really need to take a look at my attitude and actions.
As I also mentioned in my "apologies" post, I do get angry with so much trash-talk about both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. It often seems to me that much of the talk is directed at Hillary Clinton, although that is probably my perception.
I also work very hard to point out specifics about "my" candidate and to admit when I disagree with her positions and not to make broad sweeping statements.
Finally, I don't feel entitled to be the 'generation' that worked for change, but that nobody else deserves to have hope or optimism. I am a real-life example of a dyed-in-the-wool optimist who believes that anything is possible! It just seems (from my personal experience as a college instructor and youth volunteer) that many young people haven't been willing to get involved to help solve the problems. This is a valid issue. But generalizing and saying all young people feel this way isn't right. If I did that, or gave the appearance that I felt that way, I am sorry.
The last eight years has, as you noted, been hard on all of us who care about our world and the people in it. I think this is, in part, why there seems to be so much anger with each other, at other candidates, and the world in general, but I don't want to oversimplify. I know that I am angry at this administration, at the civil liberties losses we have sustained, at the losses of the rights that we seem so often to take for granted, and at individuals who don't seem to care about that. I'm not a "young" person; (I don't think I'm old, either -- I'm 25-35 years older than what I perceive to be many of the posters here at Salon), and sometimes when I see the ideals and dreams of my generation being torn apart by Bush/Cheney and people like them, it makes me wonder if anybody even cares about those ideals and what remains to be done. Anyway, this is just musing on my part.
I appreciate your criticism and honesty. And I am truly thrilled to know that there are people out there like you who ARE making a positive difference and not just doing a bunch of trash-talking on the 'net!
I'll keep posting; hope you will. I'll take your words to heart.
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@ Droogoy
[Read the article: Obama and the Kennedy legend]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I, too, think that Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend's and Robert Kennedy, Jr.'s endorsement of Hillary Clinton says far more than Carolyn and Ted's endorsement of Barack Obama.
RFK Jr. and Kathleen have been and are in the trenches and took up their father's causes with grace and determination. That is not to belittle Carolyn or Ted for their endorsements, but Carolyn has been far less active and outspoken on the environment and economic and social issues. I am very disappointed in Ted, too, because in spite of his so-called liberal record, he has rarely done the right thing on women's issues until he was forced and/or cajoled into doing it. I saw this happen more than once when I worked in D.C. during the 80s and 90s. I wish he had remained neutral; he's a bigger person than to use this nomination as petty revenge against both the Clintons.