Letters to the Editor
WeikuBoy
Published Letters: 487 Editor's Choice: 62
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The Best of 2005
[Read the article: Beyond the Multiplex: The best of 2005]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I enjoyed Ms. Zacharek's and Mr. O'Hehir's very interesting year-end lists, especially those films that are not yet available on DVD, and ESPECIALLY those I had not yet heard of, such as 'The Power of Nightmares' and 'The Syrian Bride'. I won't challenge any of their selections, not even 'Kings and Queen'; but I do allege one glaring omission: 'The Beautiful Country' -- from Norway, but set in Vietnam and the U.S. It features an astonishing perfomance by a young actor named Damien Nguyen, and excellent performances by Bai Ling (yes, Bai Ling), Nick Nolte, Tim Roth, and others. I had the same reaction to this movie that I had to 'Maria Full of Grace' last year; and I don't understand why 'The Beautiful Country' is not on more reviewers' lists.
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We must all do our part for the Empire
[Read the article: King George]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Of the many grievous wounds inflicted on our freedom in recent years, the astonishing assertion that this president is above the law is surely the most dangerous. When the chief executive of a republic breaks the law, and then announces, with arrogance and impunity, that he will do so again, then the republic simply is no more. If this junior Bush is not impeached forthwith, future generations WILL mark our age as the time when the United States -- though perhaps not yet a monarchy in the classic sense -- certainly ceased to be a republic.
On the other hand, at least we are safe, now that bin-Laden has been captured and al-Qaeda destroyed, and the crimes of 9/11 punished.
Hey, wait a minute . . . .
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Buy the Premise, Buy the Bit
[Read the article: Ask the pilot]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In re the Spanish election, I, too, recall the following:
1) A large majority in Spain opposed their government's decision to support the invasion and occupation of Iraq;
2) Polls prior to the election nevertheless showed a close race;
3) Spanish voters decisively turned against the conservatives because of something having to do with the Basques being falsely blamed for the Madrid train bombing. (My memory is hazy, as it was probably formed somewhere between the latest update on Michael Jackson's trial and some startling new revelations about Scott Peterson.)
The point is not to criticize Patrick Smith, whose column I enjoy. The point is to always be mindful, when responding to conservatives, that they have developed into an art form the practice of starting arguments based on false premises and false choices -- the classic, of course, being, "America was attacked on 9/11; so how exactly do you liberals suggest we RESPOND to Saddam Hussein?"
It's like Johnny Carson used to say: Buy the premise, buy the bit. Meaning that if people accept the basic premise of a comedy routine, then they'll be much more likely to find the bit funny. People who care about the truth must always be prepared to question the premises, as well as the arguments, of today's divorced-from-reality conservatives whenever they stray from the cozy confines of the vast right-wing echo chamber -- in which Saddam Hussein and his WMDs were behind 9/11; Spain caved in to al-Qaeda terrorists; etc., etc.
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"Republican Majority for Choice"? Really?
[Read the article: These Republicans oppose Alito]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Or to paraprhase Donald Sutherland's character in the movie 'Disclosure", is this like "Ducks for a l'Orange"?
Do you think the members of the "Republican Majority for Choice" KNOW that of the two main goals of the modern Republican Party, the second (after cutting taxes for the rich, of course) is recriminalizing abortions? Or have I just answered my own question, and does the "Republican Majority for Choice" consist solely of rich people who hate paying for things like roads and levees and hopeless wars in Iraq based on lies about 9/11, but who OTHERWISE disagree with what the Republican Party stands for? With such politically-astute citizens as these, what good would it do even IF the mainstream media were suddenly willing to start holding Cheney and Bush Jr to the same standards of honesty and integrity to which they so zealously held President Clinton and Vice President Gore?
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01/23/06 'Countdown'
[Read the article: A hole in the president's Katrina defense]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Please excuse me for not being on point, but I don't know where else to send this.
Why isn't anyone talking about the report on 'Countdown' yesterday (Monday 01/23/06) concerning Halliburton and contaminated water in Iraq? If it's true -- and Sen. Dayton certainly seemed to think it is -- I should hope that everyone would be talking a great deal about it. It was one of the most disturbing news reports I have ever heard, and, if it is true, it might finally galvanize public opinion even in the red states against Bush-Cheney and the so-called Republicans; but before I say anything more, I'd like to hear Salon verify the story's legitimacy.
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The NFL might have lost me forever
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That was the most one-sided officiating I've seen since Bush v. Gore was before the Supreme Court in 2000.
The final straw for me was shortly after the phantom holding penalty, when Seattle's QB made a fine tackle following an interception, and was penalized for an "illegal block", or whatever. I turned off the game in disgust at that point; so if that particular call was overturned or at least satisfactorily explained, I missed it.
Bad calls are part of the game, but a series of terrible calls, all against one team, should not be a part of any game. I feel terrible for the Seahawks and their fans, and embarrassed to have been a fan.
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Dick "Cakewalk" Cheney's Chappaquiddick?
[Read the article: Cheney shoots a man in Texas, but you don't need to know]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can't wait to see what Letterman, Stewart, and Colbert do with this amazing story. In the meantime, enjoy this:
Old Dick Cheney had a farm,
E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he . . . shot some guys,
Bada bing bada bing bang boom
-- with acknowledgments to Stephen Baldwin's character in 'The Usual Suspects'
P.S. Oswald was a f**