Letters to the Editor
juneausmog
Published Letters: 181 Editor's Choice: 10
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Joseph Campbell would have thrown it in the same camp
[Read the article: The Jesus symbol, the witch and the wardrobe]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]as Star Wars, LOTR and the bible. It's all methaphorical lessons versed in parables, allegories and story-telling. In Narnia's case, fantastic story-telling. But what these Christians don't realize is the irony of Narnia: that Lewis creates another world to merely retell the same methaphors that the bible is telling. Good v. evil, an innocent(s) traveling with a more worldly figure who finds help along the way and ultimitely 'The Truth'.
George Lucas was right-on to make an epic story that utilizes epic and timeless metaphors. Lewis did no differently. For Christians to see this only as a Christian film completely misses the point. This is a story retold by humans from all cultures from the ice age to now.
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Dems shouldn't be ironic (donchya think?)
[Read the article: The filibuster's pros and cons]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Democrats SHOULD filibuster. It's time to roll the dice and play. Playing it safe are making democrats accidental winners...I want a party that can take chances for the right reasons.
By filibustering, democrats are making a big step towards changing their image. They're scared of being called obstructionists? Well that can't happen anymore if they lose their right to filibuster. But if they DON'T filibuster, then they will continue to be called wimps. Spineless.
Call republicans bluff. With Bush's approval ratings in the 30's and the Abramoff scandal spinning wildly out of control, the republican party is in turmoil and will most likely, pay during mid-term elections. Democrats will only have to put up with 10 months or so of the nuclear option. It's a short term pain in the ass for a long term gain. Secondly, this will shore up the inability to call democrats "obstructionists" as republicans run willynilly with their bad legislation, let them take the blame for it all.
And lastly, let's put this into context, how many times have democrats filibustered in the past 4 years for an issue that has had this much of the national attention? The filibuster shouldn't be used only to get lower court judges out. It should be there to be used during extreme cases like Alito. It would be like carrying a gun around "in case" you got mugged, and then when you finally do get mugged, elect not to use it. What a terrible irony...of choice.
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Different kinds of shrillness
[Read the article: Fear of spying]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]OK, this Democratic operative who is afraid that attacks on Bush would paint dems as weak on security, please stop being an operative! Because when you cannot understand that our shrillness is widely different than the shrillness coming from the GOP.
For years, we have allowed the absolute worse happen to us as a party. We get cheated out of real elections, the vote of the people aren't counting, they smear us, they associate us with the bin Laden, they say we are traitors and unpatriotic, they trounce over our values and principles, they GIVE US THE MIDDLE FINGER EVERY SINGLE DAY THEY ARE IN POWER.
On the other hand, the right-wingers shrillness gets fever-pitched about ANYTHING they disagree with. The GOP is like the a-hole who cuts in front of you on the highway, then stomps on their brakes and gives you the bird. Ever experienced that kind of random road rage? That's the GOP modus operandi.
When we democrats get back in power, will we become like the shrill GOP power-mongers? No, we're not emotional retards like the GOP. If we do end up like them, then we deserve to not be listened to. But our shrillness is JUSTIFIED and these Democrats running our strategy better wake up and smell the fricking coffee for once! This is not unjustified outrage, this is standing up for yourself and for this country.
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Democrats weak image
[Read the article: Fear of spying]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Another thing to add. I think that the fears of seeming weak on national security is too myopic. The problem isn't that people might perceive Dems are weak on national security. The problem is that people perceive Dems AS WEAK. By being weak in the overall point in order to seem strong in a segment of it just defeats any hyper-focused action.
Dems need to address the WEAKNESS image overall. Standing up for yourself is not only a good start, it's the only start.
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Babyboomers hold onto the glory years
[Read the article: Talkin' bout my generation]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The old adage, "if you're young and not liberal, you don't have a heart. If you're old and not conservative, you don't have a brain," comes to mind when reading this article. I guess the accomplishments of a generation in their 20's define them in history which for the Babyboomers, is a blessing. Because all that fire in the belly is gone and they have rolled over for this neo-Nixon era.
What suprises me is that although they have gone through the civil rights movement, Vietnam and Watergate, they are a silent voice on the current affairs of this Bush adminstration and republican stranglehold.
Americans between the ages 45-60 voted slightly in favor of Bush, and the age group over 60 voted for Bush by a 7% margin. Did they become fat, happy, successful and complacent? Yes. In addition, I think they are dangerously projecting their generational baggage onto the rest of us. As they grew up under the threat of the Cold War, the need to constantly have a boogyman to fear has driven the political climate of today. Ironically, we have something worse on our hands than Nixon and his military industrial complex despite their efforts to dismantle it.
As the leaders of the country, I wish the baby boomers would look in the mirror and see that they have become what they hated. That peace they wanted? Where is it? We have to have a war every 7-10 years now. Allowing people to be free and expressive? How little we've come since those days and the proof is Cindy Sheehan being arrested for wearing a t-shirt with a political opinion.
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The most striking thing
[Read the article: Thugs for puppies]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]to me about this article, was the lack of fear for the Feds by president Ferdin. If they are not afraid, where the Feds are in their front yard, imagine how confident Al Queda is. It just goes to show, that passion and ideology will grow the biggest balls in the planet.