Letters to the Editor
olympia72
Published Letters: 38 Editor's Choice: 2
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Hey, Barack forgot to mention something
[Read the article: The rubes and the elites]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He should have added, while he was at it, that small town working class folk, in addition to relying on religion and guns and hatred, further cope with their pain by drinking themselves to death. Hey, it works for me! :)
In all seriousness, I think Obama came off as less than smooth with his remarks. Personally, I find this lack of smoothness endearing, but the fact he did it (in this particular way) in front of an elite San Francisco audience is unfortunate. I think just maybe, possibly, he just might be trying to understand the problems of people unlike himself, and is willing to wade through some awkwardness to do so. That is definitely commendable.
The problem, ONCE AGAIN, is his supporters. Unlike Obama, my impression of too many of his supporters is that they ARE elitists, straight up. Rednecky white people with an affection for Nascar are objects of contempt. Their stupidity and inferiority knows no bounds. I have to say, I'm beginning to see how the Republican Party wins over the rednecks, despite the fact that by voting for Republicans rednecks are essentially screwing themselves. Sometimes, the need to tell snobbish people to fuck themselves, and to vote accordingly, supercedes all else. You'd think that, smart as they think themselves to be, elitist Obama supporters would know when to shut up. The bloggers, quoted in the article, seem especially adept at kicking themselves in the face.
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Taliesan
[Read the article: The rubes and the elites]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't know that it's strictly a North/South issue. I live in Vermont, and I can definitely feel the struggling small town element here. Our neighbors, where I grew up in way rural Vermont, spent their lives in toothless splendor, sucking down cigarettes and white bread and cutting their house in half with a chainsaw. (I may have told the chainsaw story here before; I guess I'm still in awe of it: they cut their damn house in half with a chainsaw!) Truth to tell, I spring from pretty poor, gun-loving, bigoted roots myself. Likewise, there are Well-off, well-educated parts of the South that could arguably be called elitist. I see the North/South argument- and I agree with your points -as being a separate one.
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Love this piece. LOVE
[Read the article: How I learned to stop worrying and love the recession]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think, as Heather puts it so well, we're all inclined to not want to be as ridiculous as we've been over the past ??? years. Not having the money for Botox IS freeing- it feels so much better to put that money towards something that matters.
One thing we should all be putting our (limited) money towards, of course (as others have mentioned) is seeds. Growing your own food is empowerment personified- and can I tell you how amazed I was to see my little tomato seeds sprout into plants? Fucking awesome, man.
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Allie
[Read the article: How I learned to stop worrying and love the recession]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I assume Heather's talking about organic milk costing $4/gallon? That price is certainly the norm here in Northwest Vermont. My SO drinks organic milk exclusively, for environmental reasons- I've started using organic soy milk in recipes because cows' milk is just too expensive. As to dogs' psychiatrists, etc., I can't speculate. I do think we're better off not being the shallow losers the country has encouraged us to be of late.
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The internet is toxic to democracy
[Read the article: What does Hillary want?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Saying horrible things to people you don't know at all? Getting people so worked up they're willing to vote against their own best interests? Welcome to the internet, folks.
I must confess, it's occurred to me that it would be satisfying to see young females having to really give a hard look at where their rights were going. I get so fed up with the 20somethings of today. I'm ashamed of this impulse of mine, though. I will vote for Obama, not for the 20somethings, but for my 7-year-old niece. The thought of sacrificing her rights because I'm angry is unconscionable.
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Alright, AJ
[Read the article: She's still in it to win it]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You really made me giggle with that last post.
I think the internet has been a big step back in advancing civil human discourse. I mean, think about the things people say here- would you ever say them to someone you were conversing with face-to-face? It's sort of surreal, really- like the internet turns everyone into people who are eight drinks in to a bad night at the bar.
By the way, AJ, you do not have that pull with me! Dream on!
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AJ and the Pull
[Read the article: She's still in it to win it]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You referred to how posters were saying they were being convinced to vote against their best interests by the words of other posters, and were amazed you could have such a "pull". That's what made me giggle. Letting people who are basically just words on a screen make you so livid- it's just absurd, when you stand back and look at it.
BTW, I'm a Hillary supporter who's had my angry moments during this campaign. I don't think I've ever threatened to vote for McCain (have I?) but I've gotten into the whole overwrought internet thing. Ultimately, of course, I'll vote for Barack if he's the nominee, because, you know, it's important to be a grown up. Whatever my internet antics, I take my right to vote seriously.
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Wake me when Barbara Ehrenheich can win Ohio.........
[Read the article: Hillary's final curtain ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mua ha ha. You rock, Traister.
This is my issue,exactly. The strong, principled female we want to become President is not running for the title. Maybe we should accept no acceptable female is ever going to run? Make no mistake, I plan on voting for Barack. Even if you put aside male/female matters, energy and environmental issues are huge. Barack's rejection of the gas tax holiday gives me hope- he knows the times ahead are going to require some tough measures. Still, I can't help but think we AREN'T going to see a female President ever, because she's got to be the perfect mix of gentle and aggressive who has (and this is the most important thing) the ambition to run.