Letters to the Editor
Joan Walsh
Published Letters: 430 Editor's Choice: 15
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Here's what waterboarding looks like]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mikes Pace, torture violates the Geneva Conventions, and there is no scenario in which I'd say it's justified. It's morally wrong, it violates international law and it's been shown to be of dubious effectiveness anyway. Throwing in the effectiveness issue might make me seem like a moral relativist -- the first two are good enough for me, but when you add the third, I simply can't believe we're having this debate in the United States, or the pages of Salon. I've been listening to Springsteen's "Long Walk Home" twice a day to keep my bearings.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: When waterboarding was a crime]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Garry Owen, we will be keeping the joint open on weekends more as the campaign heats up, but with a relatively small edit staff, it's not an option right now beyond wire stories and some blogs. But I agree we could be empowering our readers more, and we'll be coming up with tools to do that in the weeks and months to come. I will keep you posted.
Likewise, salonmarte, we are looking at some of the suggestions you propose for increasing communication among letter writers. But in the meantime, since you're a Premium member (thank you!) have you joined Table Talk? That's our venerable Salon reader community where people can discuss topics of the day in greater depth.
Until we get more of our reader tools developed, I appreciate people using my blog comments for good ideas and story ideas. Thanks!
And finally, I know I've gotten a little one-note about torture, but that's how much it matters to me. Head over to Digby's place to read her take on the former President Bush tearing up on Fox News as he described how we treated Iraqi soldiers with dignity during the first Gulf War. Why is this man crying? Because his son has destroyed his legacy in every sense of the word. That's how much the waterboarding issue means.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Why is this man crying?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thanks, Silenced! That made me smile.
Yes, this is a recent interview, which is why it's so disturbing. I also made the connection to when he cried talking about Jeb losing the FL race. Bush Sr. is an emotional guy, but he doesn't seem to be choking up randomly. He's got a lot to cry about lately.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: America's next top spouse]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obviously Rebecca included Bill Clinton in her survey, so she can't be blamed for omitting him. Editors didn't communicate clearly enough with the art department on this piece, for which we apologize. Because I'm sure there is consensus on one point: the graphic would have been MUCH cooler with Bill Clinton in it.
While I was here, I deleted some over-nasty, under-smart letters, FYI.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Sidney Blumenthal departs]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Garry Owen, that's hilarious. I just hope Sid's wife Jackie, a good friend of mine, doesn't see it.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Colbert and Springsteen: Still sexy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Madame Marie, I think our General Admission tickets were cheaper than some others, but your comment made me realize: I still owe my sister for the tickets, so thanks! I have been blessed; I saw him in 1977 at Dane County Coliseum in Madison, and he jumped off the stage and danced with me. One of the high points of my life. I hope you get into the pit one of these days, there is nothing like it. I have friends seeing him in Albany tonight, I'll check the setlist on Backstreets before I go to bed.
DAB, one thing I love about him is his stage-play with male band members, especially Clarence and Steven. He and Steven did a duet in Oakland on "Two hearts" so close their lips practically touched. I think he knows and loves that he has gay male fans.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Bill Richardson's big ouch ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]LBS, I understand your frustration. Note that I praised Obama's answer, not Clinton's or Dodd's. I care deeply about human rights; I've taken the position that there's no condition under which this country should torture. But I also think we need someone with the political smarts not to get stuck in unnecessary false polarities. Democrats can't give their opponents openings to depict them as soft or naive on national security. Even given the chance by Blitzer, Richardson couldn't come up with Obama's answer? That's just not good.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Bill Richardson's big ouch ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]exogeologist, thanks for your thoughts. But I wouldn't accept that torture advances American security, either. So I don't think Hillary answered yes to torture. I was a little disappointed in her answer, too, because I thought you could reject the way Blitzer set it up. What you couldn't do, though, was answer the way Richardson did. Not if you want to be elected president.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Sexiest Man Living 2007]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]academyscreamer, I think it was probably two episodes earlier. I was certain, though, in the episode when she's crying in Don's office. I just can't remember whether that was one or two episodes before the finale.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Clinton on the gender card]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]farragoNW, I think some of her campaign surrogates have exaggerated the role of gender in the other Democrats' attacks on Clinton, but she herself has not, at least not publicly. What she said at Wellesley was just simple fact: The American presidency has been a "boys club." There isn't one woman in that club. There's nothing wrong with talking about reality.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Stop the New York Times Op-Ed food fight!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Drew in Delaware, I think that by presenting this as an issue on which there are multiple, equally valid points of view, the Times contributes to a certain cynicism about what the truth is. And I'd rather Krugman and Herbert were liberated to write about the many unfolding outrages of 2007, rather than those of 1980.
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From Joan Walsh
[Read the article: Stop the New York Times Op-Ed food fight!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thanks hquain, I really enjoyed that too. Some people seem to be misunderstanding my point. I'm with Krugman and Herbert (as I say more than once!) but it's not a fair fight as long as they need to write in code, and can't break down Brooks's arguments point by point, or even say they're replying to him! (Unlike those old Village Voice feuds!) That's why I think it's such a waste of time for the Times.