Letters to the Editor
heyjude
Published Letters: 410 Editor's Choice: 42
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Thank you
[Read the article: Obama and the white working class]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thank you, Joan, for putting this whole thing in context.
Early on, Barack Obama said he was going to tell the American people the truth, and they might not always like it, but that was his promise. I think he's true to that promise.
I agree with everything he said. I went to Wellesley at the same time as Hillary Clinton, who then went to Yale, and has the same "privileged" background as Obama. I am glad we have two candidate running who actually ARE well-educated and capable of understanding and articulating complex problems. I think both of them care about changing things.
I hate seeing these little sound snippets totally misrepresent EITHER candidate -- it's the ugly side of politics and it demeans the American people because it doesn't allow people to really listen to and hear the true message, the full nuance of the candidates' positions.
I think it is ironic that two privileged white candidates are accusing a black candidate with very similar educational backgrounds and opportunities as "elitist." All of the candidates would have trouble identifying 100% with the working poor currently, although Barack's childhood puts him in a better position to understand them and their frustrations.
But I can tell you, as a member of the working middle class whose cost of living has far exceeded any increase in earnings over the past more than a decade, I know exactly what Obama means. I am tried, frustrated, exhausted from the manipulations of a government that doesn't give a damn about me, and I am bitter. But I have not given up hope. So I am voting for Obama because I think he sees it like it is, tells it like it is, and therefore is in a better position to address the reality of our situation.
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I watched it
[Read the article: Clinton, Obama, and the forum on faith]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I watched it and I was troubled by everyone's concern about pandering. Until the very end.
Barack Obama then put on his constitutional law scholar hat and talked about the separation of church and state, and the idea that candidates, if they so desire, should reveal the moral and religious ideals that guide them, but when in public life, they must have the ability to listen to all, including every faith and atheists, and look for common human ground, and make decisions under law.
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Skewed picture
[Read the article: Hey, Obama boys: Back off already!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I went to an Obama political meeting in my small town last week. There were all ages, genders and races of people involved. A number of students were there. Having heard all the hoopla about students supporting Obama because it was "cool" or "trendy," not because they were informed, it was very impressive to me to listen to students (both male and female) talk articulately and convincingly about having read his books and about elements of his platform that mattered to them. O didn't meet any "Obamabots" or Hillarybashers at this meeting, just a diverse group of informed, concerned people.
At the county-wide Democratic convention I later attended, there were a disproportionately large number of Obama supporters and a handful of Hillary supporters. Again, the Obama supporters came in all ages, races, genders, etc. But everyone was very respectful (on both sides).
So maybe you just haven't met enough voters and are working with a skewed sample.
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Scared silent
[Read the article: Radio silence on Bush's torture admission]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Everyone is scared silent on this because it would force Congress to revisit the issue of impeachment. Torture is illegal. In the past, in what we call "happier times," we were the country demanding that torturers be brought to justice.
It is beyond appalling. It is depraved that no one in our government will stand up and say, "These people need to be punished for eviscerating the Constitution, violating legal, ethical and moral principles of our nation, and smirking about it."
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Great sign
[Read the article: Radio silence on Bush's torture admission]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Last year, a friend of mine from Florida sent me a picture of a march against the war in which a woman, probably in her 60's, was shown carrying a hand-painted sign: "Will SOMEBODY please give George Bush a blow job so we can impeach him?!"
That says it all.
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Out of touch
[Read the article: Pope to president: Don't call me, I'll call you]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This shows how utterly and completely arrogant and out of touch this administration is. It seems like, before planning a lavish state dinner for a visiting Pope, the White House would check protocol with the Vatican -- and they would then have known that such an event was inappropriate and that the Pope would not attend.
Common sense would tell one that the Pope is a holy figure in the church, not a head of state who socializes with other heads of states. But even without common sense, which we know this administration is short of, one would think there are people in the administration whose job it is to know stuff like this.
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He can take it
[Read the article: House Republican blasts Obama as "that boy"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obama can handle this kind of stuff. The very qualities that cause some people to use words like "aloof" about him are the qualities that make such statements laughable. The man has dignity. HUMAN dignity. He is respectful and has an inner serenity that people, in turn, respect, and that supports his statements about judgment. So I think this kind of insult needs no overt response; his response is to show up in public and be a dignified, composed public figure.
I'm not saying he's a saintly human being or anything like that, so please, don't start with the "Obama is some sort of divine being" to his supporters comments. He has an authoritative, reserved presence, that's all. Once on the national stage, that will serve us well. He won't be talking with his mouth full and using obscenities, such as Bush telling Tony Blair Kofi Annan should just call some head of state and tell him to "quit that shit".
He has presence, that's all. It's something we admire in our leaders and it gives them prominence and capacity on the world stage. He's not the only person who has it, by any means, but he is the only candidate at the moment who does.
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@totally off topic
[Read the article: Did the "bitter" flap affect the race?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I so agree with you. Those ads are truly offensive.