Letters to the Editor
Brownian
Published Letters: 8
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Castaneda a cult leader?! Say it ain't so!
[Read the article: The dark legacy of Carlos Castaneda]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a young anthropology student who also practiced a form of kung-fu steeped in Buddhism, I was obsessed with otherworldly mysticism and Castaneda in particular. I played the role of apologist to those who attempted to debunk him and a pusher of his books to anyone I thought might be remotely receptive. Looking back now, I realise I was a complete cliché: the tortured young searcher looking to hide from real life pain with intellectualised ghost stories and woo-woo. The only thing missing was the beret.
Eventually, fortunately, my arguments and evasions ceased to persuade even myself, and I became a rationalist, sceptic, and a full-fledged atheist. I still enjoy reading Castaneda as modern folklore, but I no longer struggle to unlock the deep secret truths I used to think were hidden behind every anecdote.
Open-mindedness also means accepting that the things you wish were true sometimes aren’t.
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Where are all the 'well-regulated militias' in times like these?
[Read the article: This Modern World]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I live in Alberta, Canada, where we similarly feel it is our God-given right to own guns (without any constitutional justification, however).
Those who argue for leniency in laws regulating gun ownership often make nebulous claims about how guns supposedly make all of us safer from the evil criminal elements that be, or something to that effect.
Yet how come the 'well-regulated militias' of law-abiding gun-owning citizens are never to be found defending us all from evil? Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc. You'd think that at least once we'd see an NRA member rise from the crowd, Rambo-like, to put an end to the madness with one well-placed bullet from their responsibly-owned rifle. Well, where are they all? Too busy attending rallies?
Could it be this argument is merely a canard with no supporting evidence whatsoever?
Nah. Couldn't be.
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Who is really obsessed here?
[Read the article: WayLay]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"I never saw so many people obsessed with other peoples silly creation myths."
I guess you'd best bone up on your history and current affairs, then RealName. We call these individuals who are so obsessed with others' beliefs 'religious', and they've spent a great deal of time, energy, and others' lives trying to eradicate each others' beliefs in favour of their own.
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Who are you responding to?
[Read the article: WayLay]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Anybody here besides RealName use the words 'suffering' or 'oppression'?
Try reading what others have written before you respond so angrily. Feel free to sound out the hard words.
Idiot.
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Silly Tom Tomorrow...
[Read the article: This Modern World]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...Republicans don't believe in the Cretaceous Era--it ain't in the Bible.
That's not to say they're totally blind to geological evidence though. They may not believe in the Cretaceous, but they sure believe in its oil.
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If an individual's name is a significant factor in whether or not they get elected in the US...
[Read the article: Obama should be proud to be named Hussein]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Then the country deserves forty more years of Bush.
If someone's background is so damn important to their ability to lead, then why the hell didn't you just stick with the British monarchy?
American dream, indeed.
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What a bunch of spineless ass-kissers....
[Read the article: I stood on principle and was harshly reprimanded]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Having read through the comments, I have to say that I'm very disappointed by the sentiments expressed therein. "In my opinion, a subordinate should never question or challenge a superior", "I can't imagine a less desirable work place than one where the people who don't have to take the heat are constantly questioning the ones who do," etc. I hate to disappoint the sycophants here, but Enron's not hiring anymore.
I've worked in a number of environments, and I've never hesitated to question management when something doesn't smell quite right, and on at least one occasion refused to contribute my time and expertise to a project rather than compromise my integrity. Hey, if management doesn't like it, they can always fire me. (For the record, I've never been fired, and that project I mentioned was tweaked until everyone on board was satisfied.) On the other hand, I also understand discretion; I reserve my right to call shenanigans for when I suspect actual shenanigans. No one likes an oversensitive car alarm.
I realise that everyone isn't in a position to take the stance I do. I'm still relatively young (early mid-30s), university educated, single and childless. If I get turfed, I have only myself to worry about. I understand completely that those for whom a loss of income--even temporarily--could be devastating, and so can't afford to upset the apple cart. Then again, shouldn't those of us who can stand up for those who can't?
Perhaps one day managers--the delicate flowers that they are with responsibilities so weighty that they couldn't possibly deign to consider the opinion of a subordinate--will have the luxury of staffs composed entirely of automaton yes men. But until then, maybe they'll have the sense to hire at least one or two employees who feel that their contribution to the corporate ethos can include a dollop of ethics.
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Wildlife experts aren't the only ones alarmed
[Read the article: Her deadly wolf program]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Disdain for science is the hallmark of the Republican party.
Funny how they have no compunction about using the fruits of science when it suits their needs, but they'll happily toss science out the window the moment it appears to interfere with their cherished beliefs. (Note that most oil today isn't found by bible-thumpers drilling and praying at random--it's found by geologists thoroughly indoctrinated in that rascally theory of evolution and all its predictive power. Not that that's gonna stop creos from adorning their dino-juice-powered SUVs with Darwin-eating ΙΧΘΥΣ.)
But I have to wonder why Palin resorted to placing a bounty on wolves' feet to reduce their population. No faith in abstinence-only sex education for the little wolfies, Sarah?
Another four years of rule by these nitwits and Afghanistan won't be the first country that springs to mind when someone mentions "cave-dwelling theocrats" anymore.