Letters to the Editor
slaird46
Published Letters: 70 Editor's Choice: 4
-
Lieberman's Integrity
[Read the article: Lieberman: In Iraq, the U.S. has Joe-mentum]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If Mr. Lieberman had one ounce of integrity, he'd pack up his desk and move it to the other side of the aisle where he belongs. What an embarassment to the Democratic Party.
-
Springfield Not Much Different
[Read the article: Barack Obama and the Springfield race riot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I grew up in Springfield, Illinois, and I can tell you with authority that racial attitudes there aren't all that much different today -- just way more subtle.
Although it was located in the near center of the city, my high school (Springfield HS) was lilly white and largely middle class. I believe there were 2 blacks in my graduating class (1964).
I can still remember the mortification of trying to take my mother's aunt's driver (who was a black man) into Balestrie's restaurant in the mid 1950s to eat lunch with us and being turned away. He wasn't surprised, but my mother and grandmother couldn't believe that such attitudes still existed. (and none of us ever set foot in that restaurant again)
The city is still very racially and economically segregated in housing and employment -- not that different from most other Illinois towns. The Springfield of today is a great place to live if you're a white, heterosexual, fundamentalist, Republican male. Otherwise, forget it. And I sure as hell wouldn't want to raise children there!
I live in Spain today, but still keep a home in Champaign, Illinois, which thanks to the presence of the University of Illinois is a slightly more hospitable place for blacks and other minorities. But step one inch out of Champaign-Urbana and you'll find yourself smack-dab in the heart of Mississippi or Alabama as far as attitudes towards Folks Not Like Us are concerned.
-
Is this necessary?
[Read the article: Camille's back!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Why on earth would anybody be celebrating her return????? Yuch! And just when I renewed my paid membership for another year. Oh, well. Just because I paid for it doesn't mean I have to read it. Right?
-
Tom in Central Illinois Suggestion
[Read the article: This Modern World]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm with you, Tom. Only problem is former Senator Simon is dead. Would former President Carter do?
I grew up in Central Illinois (it must be something in the water), and may move back there when the current crew is no longer in the White House (depends on who replaces them). Until then, I'm a political refugee, living in Spain (where gay marriage is already a fact, it is understood that capitalism must be regulated, and nobody pays any heed to the rantings of the religionists). - SL
-
Prescriptions in Spain
[Read the article: What is the rationale behind the prescription drug laws?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I am an American living abroad, and was at first amazed when I found I could walk into any pharmacy and purchase just about anything I wanted without a prescription at the discretion of the pharmacist. Because I have a number of chronic conditions (depression, hypertension, and diabetes most notably) and take a lot of medicine, I would never dream of adding to or changing my daily intake of meds without contacting a doctor about it first -- but it's nice to know that I'm sufficiently respected as an adult by the government here that I could do so if I wanted. My Spanish friends take this for granted. (Just as they do good free medical care.)
And, no, the Spanish are not stumbling around full of pharmaceuticals that keep them messed up all the time. If anything, they seem much more cautious and much less likely to run to the pharmacy for every little thing than do americans.
In addition to not having to worry about whether or not my prescription refills are up to date, the other big plus to the Spanish system is the cost of medicines. In the States, my RX bill ran a little over $400/month. Here, it's about $80 -- and the medicines are manufactured by the same companies that make them for me in the States.
-
I'm with Jonathan who said
[Read the article: Finale wrap-up: "The King of Queens"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]that Kevin James simply is not funny. In any situation. Under any circumstances.
David Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, has made a fortune with programs starring unknown or underappreciated comics, teamed with underemployed greats and semi-greats from the past (Doris Roberts, and Peter Boyle, for example), and I've enjoyed a few of them and scratched my head at the rest. But as far as I'm concerned, 'Pants' struck out with this stinker from the first episode, and even the presence of Jerry Stiller (of the great husband and wife comedy team of Stiller and Meara) couldn't save it for me.
On the other hand, as has been pointed out here, it employed a bunch of people, was popular enough to stay on the air, and was generally inoffensive. I wonder if we'll be able to say the same about whatever replaces it.
-
What a wonderful bunch of Letters in response to a horrible, horrifying speech
[Read the article: "It is impossible to miss the discrimination against ... believers"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I would say that the answer to Barnaby's question
How could one possibly get history so wrong at a commencement and not be thrown off stage?
is self-evident. Liberty is one of the finest finishing schools for the next generation of christianist leadership. You can safely bet that there's not one iota of difference between Newt's view of history and the one they've been spoon-fed for their last four years. It's likely there wasn't one person in the room who would disagree with it.
I live in Spain, and the second most difficult thing about America that my Spanish friends have trouble getting their brains around is the amount of influence religion has in American political discourse. There are Falwells and Gingriches here, too, but they are totally marginalized and laughed at by a huge majority of the populace.
Of course the most difficult -- nearly impossible -- is that we don't have universal, government-provided health care.