Letters to the Editor
gradysu
Published Letters: 158 Editor's Choice: 40
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Satire is often bigoted
[Read the article: Mel on the cross]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Okay, since we're hiding anti-Catholic bigotry behind thinly veiled sophistry now, I challenge you to name one other religion that has been subject to so much, ahem, "criticism" and "satire" in movies, songs, plays, celebrity rants, etc. as the Catholic Church has.
Is the Catholic Church the only church that "engages in some rather antiquated notions about sex, gay people and women"? Could not the same be said of many branches of Protestantism and Orthodox Judaism? Name ten movies about Protestant ministers or Orthodox rabbis that present them in the same vicious light that movies about nuns and priests do.
I disagree with the Catholic Church on a whole host of issues. But it is pretty obvious that the Catholic Church is far more frequently the victim of "satire" in Hollywood than any other religion. That's a fact. You can dress it up however you like, but it doesn't make it any less true.
Also, these works do not not qualify as "criticism." They do not take issue with specific Catholic stances. They portray nuns, priests and devout Catholics as out-and-out wackos--frigid, hypocritical, alcoholic, you name it. And the wackos are the benign ones!!
If the playing field is not at least somewhat balanced--if all faiths do not come in for a similar amount of "satire" (and no, I don't mean identical, but at least somewhat similar)--then yes, it smacks of bigotry. And Catholicism is far and away Hollywood's favorite religious target.
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Then why didn't he...
[Read the article: Scooter Libby's fuzzy-memory defense]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...just say he didn't remember? He's not being charged with "forgetting." He's being charged with lying.
Doesn't UCLA have anybody who could help out with that? Like someone from the Department of Paid Witnesses?
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He "didn't pay much attention to race."
[Read the article: Joe Lieberman's race-baiting attack ad]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Isn't that pretty much the de facto definition of someone who is not a racist?
And don't most country clubs reflect the demographics of their neighborhood?
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Not even close...
[Read the article: Mel on the cross]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...wow, Will, who'da thought you could be wrong about everything -- including my gender?!?
As for your list, you have one movie that deals with Orthodox Jewish life, and one TV show that deals with Mormonism.
Then you mention Curb your Enthusiasm, which has also gone after Catholics and just about every other religion, and is a perfect example of an equal-opportunity, genuine satire. Ditto for The Life of Brian, and South Park. They go after everybody, to their credit.
The challenge was to come up with 10 MOVIES about a specific Protestant sect and and 10 about Orthodox Judaism. (It's quite easy to come up with 10 about Catholicism, along with TV shows, plays, songs, articles, celebrity rants, etc.) I thought it was understood, but apparently not by you, that these should be movies where these groups were the sole recipients of attacks--not just part of scattershot religious satire.
You came up with one TV show specifically about Mormons, and one movie about Orthodoxy Judaism, which didn't portray anybody as a raving wacko or criminal, although yes, it was certainly an unflattering portrayal generally. Your math is as bad as your "satire." You also seem to lump all Protestants together in a single blur. Apparently your ignorance extends beyond Catholicism.
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Did these people learn NOTHING from 2000?
[Read the article: The Pennsylvania Green Party/GOP nexus]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Life is not a poly-sci class. Politics in the real world has real consequences. I am pro-choice, but that is not the be-all-end-all for me, and I have given money to Bob Casey because we have to get Rick ManDog Santorum OUT. Pure and simple.
The Green Party candidate in Pennsylvania has not been going around the state campaigning, trying to drum up support, laying out a meaningful platform. He was rushed onto the ballot at the last minute by desperate Republicans trailing horrendously in every poll. He is not Mr. Smith looking to Go To Washington. He is Mr. Santorum in a Green Party costume. A vote for him is most definitely a vote for Santorum.
I disagree with a lot of Democratic positions. But I will not throw my vote away on somebody who is a stalking horse for Republicans. If a Green Party candidate wants to be taken seriously as a progressive, then he or she should not be a fully funded subsidiary of the Republican party.
Not only is it not easy being Green; these days it isn't helpful either. In fact it's downright destructive. These people will get into bed with anybody--often the most vile right-wingers (as did Nader in 2000). They are imposters, poseurs and hypocrites, and the only people who support them are those who don't give a rat's ass what effect political policies have on people who are a lot worse off than they are.
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Sorry, Jaiaoshi...
[Read the article: He really was a Fox News Democrat]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...but Howard Dean's brother is James Dean. (In contrast to his earlier namesake, he's a Rebel WITH A Cause.)
John Dean is the former Watergate figure, now reformed.
No one who "appreciates Sean Hannity's friendship" should even pretend to be a Democrat. And what is with the machinations of the campaign, trying to explain why they've avoided Fox News? I'd have more respect for them (more than the none I have now) if they were just candid and said it would be a bad idea during the primary to go on Fox News. Lieberman is the male counterpart to Susan Estrich--someone who will go on Fox, parrot the Republican line, and then allow the moronic commentators to say, "See? Even DEMOCRATS agree with us on this!!"