Letters to the Editor
Ray Walker
Published Letters: 64 Editor's Choice: 2
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City of lost children
[Read the article: City of lost children]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To give you an insight to my views, I am an OLD, 77, Marine. Korean War, and I'm sure the reader will make assumptions based on that.
I object to the term "neocon" as used in the article. I've been an atheist since I was 15. And I was then and now Gung Ho, and if I were serving today I'd be as motivated as those labeled "neocon." That I definitely am not. But I am patriotic. And I do think Bush made a tragic mistake in Iraq, and in military matters generally. But the Congress is equally responsible, all of them.
Don't denigrate the military "can do" attitude because political hucksters who on occasion run the nation make stupid decisions. As a Marine I would carry out any legitimate order that did not require me to violate my basic moral instincts. Both as a Marine and a former police officer, I've had opportunities to kill a human and get away with it, but never did unless it was a definite threat to my life or that of others. We are not trained murderers, in spite of the now chic position to attack us as such.
My main argument, that is clearly pointed out in this article and the film, is that females should not be aboard ships at sea. We are asking people to deny their human nature to an extent that no one would expect in any other situation in civilian life. It is extremely unfair to both the men and women and has nothing to do with innate capabilities of women, who can and do excel at many jobs aboard ship. But 6 months at sea with 19 yr olds, and you're asking them to be celibate. That is illogical and impossible and diminishes the capacity of that ship to effectively carry out its mission, which ought not be determined by social concepts of gender equality. The military life is not a free-wheeling democracy, nor should it be.
Semper Fi!
Ray Walker
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Ndegative political ads
[Read the article: Anti-Obama ad a winner for McCain]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm at a loss to understand the logic here. Assuming McCain, who's reputed to have a bad temper, were to lash out and strike someone with his fist, would it be improper and a negative campaign "ploy" to use that to inform voters? I hope not. Why is it unreasonable to mention Jeremiah Wright's racist remarks, since Sen. Obama has given the man a lot of press interest?
The only negatives I find objectionable are based on rumor and lies, such as the BS about Sen. Obama's faith is Islam, which is pure Rove type smear tactics. But I see Wright and his connection to Obama as relevant. The Senator has covered the subject. Those who love him are satisfied; those who hate him would do so in any event. The rest of us have to use what factual info we can get and make a choice.
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Abu Ghraib
[Read the article: Interrogating Abu Ghraib]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Wow! When I first saw the pictures I thought of an old news photo of a lynching in the South 60 years ago and all the normal looking people in the crowd. What the terrorists do, insane and monstrous, every one of us is capable of doing, given the right "faith" and motivation. No prison, military or civilian, should ever be run by those not thoroughly trained, disciplined, and supervised by competent leaders.
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Fakirs
[Read the article: You are the river: An interview with Ken Wilber]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It is not a mystery to science that the mind can control the body at very basic levels, and meditation does produce testable brainwave variations. The brain is a chemically run organizim. One controls the workings of the mind chemically. The resultant subjective feeling is understood and represents nothing other than the result of chemical changes in the brain. Some do it with Pot, or LSD. Adepts do it with concentration.
Religious conversion often times results in highly euphoric mental states and appears to change the personality. All of this is strictly interior, and not a connection with anything except one's capacity for an active imagination.
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Eight Belles sad end
[Read the article: Eight Belles' last run]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I've raised a few Quarter horses and a few kids. Sports injuries to the young threaten the growing ends of bones that are not yet hardened so they can take the hard impact. It seems to me that no horse should be pushed to extreme stress on its legs until they are 4 yr olds, Thoroughbreds are all officially born January 1. Which means a horse born in September is only 3 months old when it is listed as a yearling, so a 14 month old can be listed as a 2 yr old. They need to change this or these fatal injuries will continue.
Quarter horse racing has more races and more horses at the tracks than Thoroughbreds yet there are no injuries like this. We don't race two yr olds.
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Bradley's are not heavily armored
[Read the article: Bradleys used to be considered impregnable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Don't know where the author got info about the Bradly being considered impregnable. From day one it was subject to machine gun fire penetration on the sides. It isn't and never was intended to be a tank, or even close. It's much faster than a tank and maneuverable. That's its total benefit.
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Tom Cruise
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You did a rather sarcastic piece on Cruise, and probably are right on the button, but the sarcasm would more honestly be aimed at the millions of folks who would stand in a long line in freezing temperatures to watch him leave a hotel and get in a car.
I saw Top Gun and thought his performance quite good. I've never seen him in anything else. I do not "worship" celebs and cannot understand why anyone does. They do what they do for the money and for themselves, and that is exactly what the rest of us do in our more mundane jobs and lives. Most of us are in it for the money. If it is satisfying other parts of our personality, fine. He seems satisfied. He'd be better off to remain silent off screen.