Letters to the Editor
Published Letters: 260 Editor's Choice: 22
-
Salon, where's your spine?
[Read the article: All cartoon politics are local]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Dear Editors,
Over the past few days you have published three articles on the ‘cartoon conflagration’, yet not the cartoons themselves. As many letters to the editor have pointed out, you published shots of Nick Berg's gruesome murder, (which I’m sure some found offensive) but you won’t show the cartoons. Why?
I’m going to take a wild guess and say that some panjandrum at Salon is worried about reprisals from elements in the global community if they were to publish the cartoons. To this is say please take your spine (the one laying on your desk) and put it back on. You have a responsibility to your readers and subscribers (I’m one) to put your coverage in context. How can we judge the content and accuracy of commentary without first seeing the primary sources of the controversy?
Besides just plain journalistic integrity and a little bit of courage, it would be nice if Salon would stand in solidarity with the Danish paper in question over the simple and cherished right to the freedom of expression—even if you don’t agree with the content of the cartoons or the reasons that the paper published them.
If you truly are afraid of possible violence or damage to the personnel or property of Salon, just say that I put a gun to your head and forced you to publish them. That’s language that the fundamentalists understand. Then Publish my name and my address (Chad Bagley, 601 Fuxing Rd., Shanghai) and I’ll take the heat.
Thanks,
Chad Bagley
-
How is Science Suspect Mikado?
[Read the article: Dissecting God]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In what way is science suspect Mikado?
Of course we should all be skeptical, even if the claims are scientific. But that’s the beauty of science. Science is not dogma- it is a method; it’s alive and dynamic. A scientific claim only holds sway as long as it can be verified through the scientific method. When another claim comes along that is proven with a greater degree of veracity then that theory needs to move over or somehow be revised.
Religion on the other hand is chalk full ‘o’ dogma-- crusty, unverifiable assertions. I just don’t understand why people continually try to classify science as ‘another religion’.
The day that religious claims are supported by repeated double blind studies is the day I’ll give them respect.
I’m not holding my breath.
Chad Bagley
-
Andrew O'Hehirs Jaded Piss Fest
[Read the article: Introducing the Guilties!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Jeepers Andrew, I didn’t know what an ignorant, guilt ridden liberal sap I was until you enlightened me with your prescient pooh-poohing of this years Academy Award Nominees. Hell, until you learned me the way you done I had actually thought that the Academy this year had picked five- not brilliant- but fairly solid pictures (something the Academy doesn’t always do). Each picture did have its drawbacks; You pointed out the one scene in Munich that left me cringing (the boffing/helicopter blowing up scene), Crash was a bit over the top- and yes, the Morrow character in ‘Good Night and Good Luck’ did start and end the film with a didactic polemic. And do all five films display a certain degree of earnestness? Yes they do Andy-- but I prefer earnestness to indifference and the didactic to puerile pap.
I also think that most of your readers are aware of the Academy’s limitations and that the poo-bahs generally reward certain kinds of pictures. Rarely are the winners the best films of the year; instead they’re usually ones that combine a certain degree of craft with a timely or socially redeeming message (mixed with a sprinkling of wink, wink, nudge, nudge, “It’s your turn this year”). We realize this. Do you?
Chad Bagley
-
Castrated?
[Read the article: Oscar castrates himself]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Good god, when did the Oscars have any balls to begin with (seriously, look at the statue).
When are the entertainment fascists at Salon going to stop whining for a time that never was?
-
I Looking For a Real Democrat to Give My Vote To
[Read the article: The Hillary juggernaut]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don’t think that Hillary has what it takes to win, and she certainly doesn’t have my vote. As Molly Ivins so aptly put it, “Hillary has all of Bill’s Bad qualities but none of the charm”. Now don’t get me wrong, I like Hillary Clinton. She’s brilliant and has a tremendous amount of political savvy. My problem with her is that she’s the consummate politician; unctuous, compromising and non-committal. Her stance on the Iraq war alone was enough to lose my vote.
I want a real democrat that can fight. I want universal health care, our troops out of Iraq, a roll-back of Bush tax cuts, less defense spending (read ‘offence’ spending), more investment in our country’s infrastructure, less financial ‘alchemy’ in banking and finance, a balanced budget, better defense of our borders from potential attack and more money spent on education. Not only do I want these, but I also want candidate that isn’t afraid to say that’s want they want and fight for them. I want a candidate that doesn’t have to hide his or her real agenda behind a lot of bullshit rhetoric just to appease the nabobs across the isle. I want a candidate that won’t stoop to photo ops holding a bible and walking out of a church service on Sunday-- even thought they are non-believers—just so they can cozy up to the religious right. Most of all I want a candidate that will say, “Yes, I am a Liberal Democrat, and this is why!
In other words I won’t vote for Hillary. And most of the Dems I know are more or less in my camp. I don’t know who Shapiro has been talking to but it hasn’t been my stripe of Democrat.
Chad Bagley
-
Adendum:
[Read the article: The Hillary juggernaut]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As a post script to my letter below I want to say the Russ Feingold is a real Democrat.
Chad Bagley