Letters to the Editor
Million-Year Picnic
Published Letters: 130 Editor's Choice: 10
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Islam, or Catholicism?
[Read the article: Sex and the married Muslim]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I grew up Catholic in PA.
My wife grew up Muslim in Egypt and came to the US when she was 15.
We were married a couple of years ago and are both in our mid thirties.
I have read both the Bible and the Koran in some detail.
Now I can tell you, that as far as being backward and repressive, Catholicism is quite the equal of Islam. Many kids, myself included, were forced (physically forced) to go to church, and were shunned if they voiced alternative views. There is very little that Dr. Kotb is saying that is different than the Catholic view, with regard to sexual beliefs (no contraception, no premarital sex, homosexuality is immoral, etc). And circumcision -- well, my wife was never circumcised, but I was.
These Abrahamic religions are apples from the same rotten tree. Societies cannot evolve until we leave them in the dusty past.
At least this woman is trying. Again, baby steps are the way.
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It goes on and on
[Read the article: Rethinking Israel's David-and-Goliath past]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]When I was growing up, I remember learning how the Egyptians hated and enslaved the Israelites, and how the Israelites were Gods chosen people, and how God killed all the firstborn Egyptians to show who's boss.
so learning about the 6-day war, it was easy for me to align that story with the mythology of a defenseless and weak Israel surrounded and attacked by barbarian Arabs on all sides. It was a story I in fact adopted for myself when dealing with the bullies of the world.
It was only many years later that I learned that it was a little more complicated than that.
It was Albert Einstein who said,
"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."
I wish ole Albert were with us now, instead of David Sugerman.
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We hope you are enjoying our war. Stay tuned for more.
[Read the article: One Iraqi's collateral damage]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]At the beginning of the Iraq war, my wife was offered a very well-paying job as a translator, due to her Arabic background.
She politely declined. She had already lived in the U.S. for 15 years, and was now more aware of how things really work.
People in other countries do not have the luxury of this insight. They hold in their own minds a distinction between the U.S. policies and government, and the citizens
themselves. The latter they see as freedom-loving, open-minded, generous, and kind.
This is somewhat of a fallacy, isn't it?
Our government, being elected, is an extension of ourselves. When I hear Bush talk, it is like listening to my own father at the dinner table.
We were the enablers. But now, more and more of us are waking up. For many, it will be too late.
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Cover your eyes during the scary parts
[Read the article: Bush's European disaster]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Many hope to "wait it out", crawl into a shell and let the next 18 months pass. This is dangerous. It is possible, and in fact quite easy, for the neoconservative agenda to continue even stronger after '08.
Consider the following formula:
- Ramp up the fear of terrorist attacks
- Continue to play up the Iranian nuclear threat
- Blame Iran for problems in Iraq and Afghanistan
- At the correct time, attack Iran
The trick is to be at war with Iran during the '08 elections. There are a few other minor details, but its not too difficult. Given the current political climate, this should guarantee neocon victory.
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Thanks for writing this..
[Read the article: Bush's blank check]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]... It is not only the numbers themselves that bother me. It is the fact that so few people have spoken out and said " this is crazy".
It also makes me uncomfortable how we are moving to ever more sophisticated, computerized, and automated weapons systems. Soon we will not need soldiers. Just let the computers run the wars.
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Who else wants to punch Sean Hannity?
[Read the article: Chris Matthews on Fred Thompson's sexiness and smells]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hey fetzermillsjr,
Fighting is not immature. Standing up to bullies is not immature. It is the primal calling of being a man. Some neocons try to distort this for their own ends.
I wish there were more guys like you, who are willing to stand up to bullies and not just talk around it.
I hope you get your cage match. Just remember, a tag team means two guys. I want to get my licks in too. I'm half-irish, and all american. And I can hit pretty hard.
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Father's day is a sham...
[Read the article: Fathers get no respect]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...but Mother's day is too. Does some flowers and a card really have any comparison to the sacrifice involved?
My kids will honor me by what they accomplish in their lives. I want them to know that you do things not for recognition or fame or money. Or because society says you should. It goes deeper.
Send me a card if you want to subsidize Hallmark. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Some things don't need to be said.
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Tragedy of the Commons
[Read the article: The end of the line]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It seems that our economic models are limiting us when it comes to situations of common goods (like ocean resources). We value a good based simply on the immediate cost of harvesting it. We don't consider scarcity or the value to future generations (or even future harvests).
How do current economic models capture long-term sustainability?
Why do we extrapolate the supply-demand models, from determining the best instantaneous price, to generating the best possible economic benefit for all, for all generations?
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"insignificant sand-lubbers and camel-jockeys"
[Read the article: Spinning the disaster in Gaza]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hey, thats my wife you are talking about.
Well, its true she did ride a camel, but that was only as a tourist on a trip to the pyramids. In fact, they considered her american, so they would not give her the discount usually afforded to native Egyptians. She was pissed..
Also, I have a beard and I'm not arab and/or muslim. Don't insult the beard, dude. Thats where I draw the line.