Letters to the Editor
Xrandadu Hutman
Published Letters: 2688 Editor's Choice: 52
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Answers for Douglas Moran
[Read the article: Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"First, I think it was stupid of Colombia to invite Ahmadinejad so close to September 11."
Um, it's the 24th -- 13 days, or nearly 2 weeks, later. Plus September 11 is not some magical fairy holiday. It's just a date that something happened.
"Why not invite him in December? Or March?"
Uh, do you know something about Ahmadinejad's plans for future visits that the rest of us don't?
First of all, our own free speech rights have been significantly eroded over the last 6 years."
Relevance? Is this supposed to be an argument for why Ahmadinejad should not have free speech?
"Secondly, Ahmadinejad is Iranian, not American. He's busily denying rights to his own citizens."
Again, is this supposed to be an argument for why he should not have free speech while in the U.S.? If so, then the argument fails utterly.
"Whether Ahmadinejad said he wanted to "erase Israel from the face of the Earth," or "this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time," either statement ... is pretty frightening."
Actually there's a huge difference between the two statements. One is a passive quotation of what somebody else said about the likely fate of the REGIME in Israel (not Israel itself). The other is an aggressive statement against the entire country. The fact that he's being rampantly misquoted, for purposes of propaganda, is something everybody ought to know about. I consider it quite important, and I find it disturbing you wish to defend what at the very least is a form of inaccuracy and bad journalistic practice.
"...coming from a man who is undeniably a holocaust denier."
It is not clear to me he is a Holocaust denier. In fact I think he has made statements to the effect that he was not -- that the Holocaust really happened and was a horrible event. Far be it from me to defend the man or speak on his behalf, but what I've read is that (1) he does not consider the Holocaust a reasonable grounds for Israel's right to take land from Palestinians, and (2) He disagrees with the practice, in places such as Europe and Canada, of criminalizing the free speech of those who question various elements of the Holocaust. I don't in any way align with anything else about Ahmadinejad, but I agree with both of those things!
"...plenty of vehement anti-Semites deny that they're anti-Semites."
If somebody denies being an anti-Semite, why not take it at face value until evidence shows otherwise? The word "anti-Semite" is far, far too easily thrown at anybody who criticizes policies of Israel. Imagine if everybody who criticized the government of Kenya for specific government policies were accused of being "anti-black"?
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hey koko4kaka
[Read the article: Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You're right, technically he's not a dictator. I wasn't thinking when I used that word.
To the person who kept pointing out that THEY KILL GAYS in Iran, that is a point worth repeating, in all caps, as you did.
That said, they also kill gays in Saudi Arabia, a country that the U.S. is buddy-buddy with. On 9/11 we gave Saudis special privileges to fly in airspace when all other planes were grounded. When King Fahd or whoever came over here, Bush was videotaped walking around a garden holding the man's hand. Yet they kill gays there. They also kill gays (or "KILL GAYS") in Egypt, a country we endow with over $2 billion in foreign aid annually (basically a payoff to stay on our good side). Several of these countries stage beheadings in soccer stadiums. I don't know how often it occurs -- whether it's standard procedure or a rare event. But obviously it is not limited to one country.
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Just do it, be humble, and don't make a big deal out of your guilt
[Read the article: My friend suddenly died -- and I think I want his job!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mourn your friend. While you're mourning, very humbly give your resume to the boss. Write a brief and respectful cover letter. Honor your friend by maintaining respect for him at all times. It is not disrespectful to take over a job that he is not there to do. Just don't lick your chops while you're trying to get it.
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Dear anonymous coward,
[Read the article: Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...who wrote: "A lot of well intended people defended Hitler at first."
W... T... F... ?
Ahmadinejad is the ruler of a relatively powerless country where the primary exports are oil, rugs and caviar.
Hitler ruled what at the time was one of the most heavily industrialized countries in the world, that had built one of the largest armies in the world.
Ahmadinejad has made mostly vague statements questioning the validity of Israel's policy toward Palestinians.
Hitler made severe statements demonizing people based on their ethnicity.
Etc.
Take your "Hitler" comparison and shove it up your ass.
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Dear anonymous coward part 2
[Read the article: Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...who wrote, "I would rather live in a world that exterminates Jews and Americans than world that does not. I pray for the Iranian Bomb every day."
You're insane.
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Those guys...
[Read the article: Internets celebrities: Cereal is dope]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...look like they've eaten more than their share of sugary cereal.
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My advice to the Bush daughters: Keep laying low
[Read the article: Jenna Bush is just not the Winnebago-driving type]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Psssst to the Bush twins -- Your father is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. All your combined cuteness cannot overcome this heinous fact.