Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 231 Editor's Choice: 14
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interesting, but, perhaps more wishful thinking...
[Read the article: The only way out]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My fear is that the "elected Iraqi Government," as an agent of the US occupation, lacks sufficient credibility to negotiate with anyone...certainly not Iraqi insurgents. Probably decades are needed before that can happen.
What is needed here is a credible third party (yes Dorothy, we have fallen this far, and are no longer in Kansas). Who could that be? Hmmm. Opps, I forgot, we are dealing with Arabs here--they, quite understandably, hold everyone suspect.
Could even Mohammed himself pull this off? Methinks not....
Better break out my good book--turning to the Revelations part.
Barnaby
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too bad LW doesn't have a dog
[Read the article: Whenever he comes by for an evening, it takes him days to leave]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]My Parents had an active social life back in the 60s, and, sometimes, we would find ourselves with unwanted company....
At the next meal we would simply let the dog clean all the dishes, then put them back in the cabinets.
Poof! Problem solved.
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Bravo!
[Read the article: Making Colbert go away]
[Read more letters about this article: Here] -
Bravo!
[Read the article: Making Colbert go away]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Bravo! I've been energized by this since early Monday (Thank you Salon!) When I saw it had moved back up to headline status, I jumped for joy! The importance of what Colbert did cannot be over stated--he transformed the realm of the debate from the "spin zone" of mass media, propaganda, lies and obfuscation back into real human language. You are correct Joan, either they get it or they don't. They either care for vitality of language, or they do not. Myself, as a person of letters, I've been tuned out of Television and MSMedia since about 1997...
If I may borrow from Allen Tate (The Forlorn Demon, Regnery, 1953):
To the Question, What should the person of letters be in our time, we should have to find the answer in what we need them to do. She must do first what she has always done: She must recreate for this age the image of man, and she must propagate standards by which other men & women may test that image, and distinguish the false from the true. But, at our own critical moment, when all languages are being debased by the techniques of mass-control, the woman of letters might do well to conceive her responsibility more narrowly. She has an immediate responsibility, to children, to other men and women, no less to herself, for the vitality of language. She must distinguish the difference between mere communication...and the rediscovery of the human condition in the living arts. She must discriminate and defend the difference between mass communication, for the control of men, and the knowledge of man which literature (arts and sciences) offers us for human participation. The invention of standards by which this difference may be known, and a sufficient minority of persons instructed, is a moral obligation of all moral men (and women).
I've taken the liberty of switching the gender around a bit. I appologize in advance if that wasn't appropriate...
Stephen Colbert, you are, indeed, in rare company.
Barnaby
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Bush vs. language
[Read the article: The future's so bright]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Bush's use of language is part of this. His non-answer, in that he fails to address the question, is, actually an answer of sorts:
I don't listen. Because of chronic alcohol use (sober now, so everything is just fine) I don't process things very well. I have a very hard time listening. Don't take it personal--it's not just reporters--I also have difficulty processing input from my cabinet, and most others. My brain cannot accomodate another person's perspective, so I just have to repeat myself. I've rehearsed this answer with my handlers many times--here it is again. Why don't you people just give up and we can just tell jokes? Isn't that more fun anyway?
I could go on, but I think that's enough.