Letters to the Editor
heyjude
Published Letters: 397 Editor's Choice: 42
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Diplomacy is harder than propaganda
[Read the article: Mission accomplished -- for Iran]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Having read many books/articles on the Middle East in an attempt to understand what is happening in the world, I am increasingly discouraged that no one in the administration appears to be informed, or even curious, about why things are going so wrong. It seems that we get the slogan of the week, more and more scary newsbites and propaganda meant to incite the American public to support a horrific war with no good end possible.
But what do the Democrats do? Do they bring forth intelligent, clear-headed, well-informed statesmen to allay public fears and talk about reasoned diplomacy? No, they vote against MoveOn and complain about Bush and make increasingly propagandistic statements of their own.
What happened to the great statesmen of America, the people we could count on to understand world issues that perhaps the public did not fully understand, and present wise and clearly expressed choices to the American people? I mourn the loss of civil discourse in this country, and the abandonment of the capacity to see the world in the context of history.
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Both sides, please
[Read the article: My questions for President Ahmadinejad]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Dr. Bollinger raised very good questions that are very much on the minds of many people in the world?
What were President Ahmadinejad's answers? I think in the free speech tradition of this country, the press should also publish a word-for-word report of the response and of Ahmadinejad's speech. If he did not answer any of the questions, we should be able to see that for ourselves. It isn't right, and it isn't American, to print "our" side and not print the
"other" side.
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Leadership?
[Read the article: Ahmadinejad, big man on campus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It seems too easy for Americans to ignore the fact that there are traditions of courtesy entrenched in many cultures about which we know very little. It is possible to disagree absolutely with a "guest" without verbal abuse, and with straightforward language that allows for dialogue.
We are perceived, throughout the Middle East, as a rude and crude and mannerless society. We see those qualities as "free speech" and the unbridled expression of the exuberance and diversity of our great culture. But we show no sensitivity to those who cannot see it that way.
I believe that Dr. Bollinger could have showed tremendous statesmanship and avoided making Ahmadinejad a "hero" in the Middle East for responding courteously and without rage to extreme discourtesy if he had simply stated, "Mr. Ahmadinejad, in this country, we see things very differently from the way you do. There are many statements you have made that we find it impossible to comprehend. We have a totally different world view, and a totally different view of human rights from yours. So we are glad you have come here and offered us an opportunity to ask you the following questions:" (followed by the questions) "We hope you will answer them directly and completely."
That would have represented what is understood by people in this country and everywhere else as courtesy and civil discourse, and it would have been no less a powerful statement of the philosophical and political schism between the assumptions of America and the assumpions of Iran.
We need to be able to "hear" each other without rancor, or there will never be dialogue, only dogma flung back and forth.
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Tragi-comic opera
[Read the article: Oversight is for wimps]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This would be funny if it were actually a Gilbert & Sullivan production, sung with full operatic bravado, to mock the pretensions of a petty, power-mad institution. One can imagine an audience howling with laughter as the pompous little bureaucratics protest any intrusion on the dreary little schemes.
Unfortunately, this is a tragedy because it is really happening within the institutions of government that are supposed to prevent the government from running amok and keep us safe and secure and represent the best interests of th people. No one is singing, literally or figuratively. And democracy is weeping.
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Al Franken had it right
[Read the article: Rush Limbaugh and the "phony soldiers"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat idiot.
His vitriol and self-aggrandizing pompousness is consistently sickening. But who cares what Rush thinks -- only the Dittoheads and that name speaks for itself.
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Enough, already
[Read the article: Fred Thompson: Refreshingly honest or just uninformed?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We've already had one of these dumb guys who just reads the script and makes an ass of himself as president.
Can't the Republicans come up with some diversity, even among rich, white men?
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Early onset dementia?
[Read the article: John McCain's religious pander]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I hate to say this because I generally find it repugnant that people question "age" as a factor in electability, but John McCain's whole campaign shows some evidence that he is losing it.
He used to be a straight-talking man who pandered to no one. Now, he's pandering and mumbling and backtracking and making no sense half the time.
It may be a good thing that he's got that government pension to look forward to, and I hope he takes early retirement before a once respected man becomes a laughingstock.
I would never vote for John McCain because I don't agree with him politically, but I have always respected him. Now, I just feel sorry for him. This is pathetic.
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Schoolyard behavior
[Read the article: For Rush, a warm Republican embrace]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It is an absolutely disgusting spectacle to see BOTH parties expending time and energy on the floor of Congress talking about newspaper ads and radio talk shows. We have a FREE press, you guys. Lots of stuff shows up every day in all kinds of media. Much of it is offensive to somebody or other, but we're OK with that. We have the ability to sort that out for ourselves.
Get to work, for God's sake, doing the actual BUSINESS of the people that you were elected to do. We don't need a bunch of blowhards falling all over themselves to make pronouncements about the rantings of a bunch of other blowhards. This country is in serious trouble. Address the issues!