Letters to the Editor
Million-Year Picnic
Published Letters: 174 Editor's Choice: 11
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I grew up in a small town
[Read the article: What small-town America is saying about Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was one of seven kids, went to catholic church every week (every day during Lent).
I understand the small-town mentality pretty well.
When they say Obama is Muslim, it doesn't mean they think he literally follows the muslim religion.
Its code. It means they think he's different.
Some, of course, do actually think he's muslim.
Small towns are very insular and conformist. There's only one clique, and you either belong to it or you don't. People fear the "outsider".
When you graduate from high school, you have a couple of choices. Work in the coal mines like your dad, work on the farm with your dad, or join the military. A percentage will go to college, but will find jobs in the same home town where they grew up.
Most of my classmates from high school are still in the very same town. They will be there their entire lives.
Its hard to have a complete picture of the world, when you rarely go more than 100 miles from home.
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Al Gore invented the internet
[Read the article: AP's Tom Raum confuses his fantasies for fact]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This paper is one of the best I have ever read about why the truth doesn't always win out.
http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/research_programs/ppt/papers/Gore412.pdf
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100% agree
[Read the article: The two faces of John McCain]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I used to have a bunch of respect for McCain, for several reasons.
I actually thought he was different from the rest. I guess I bought into the whole maverick image.
The "lipstick on a pig", as well as other things, really changed that.
He's now coming across as a beady-eyed troglodyte whose only claim to fame seems to be that he can't fly very well and crashed his plane.
Its obvious he's received breaks during his entire career, just because he was a POW. Not because he was an effective leader, or soldier. But because he was a POW.
Call me naive if you want, but I used to think he was something more than that.
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@mynamehere
[Read the article: The battle for votes in Pennsylvania's Clinton country]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Ahhh. You violated rule #1. Don't feed the trolls. That gives them exactly what they want -- attention.
When my kid throws a temper tantrum, I don't give him a handful of candy.
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Yikes!
[Read the article: Growing right-wing opposition to the Paulson plan]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thanks for cutting to the chase on this issue.
What is remarkable, to me, is listening to Paulson speak to Brokaw on this issue. His attitude was basically, "Give me the money. Now. With no strings attached. And don't ask too many questions."
I was amazed by this attitude.
There was no evidence presented, no theory of why this would help, or what would happen if we didn't do this, or why this is better than alternate plans.
Just give me my money.
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Not left vs. right
[Read the article: David Brooks thinks he sees a "new establishment" to run economic policy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That is exactly how it is working. The left vs. right distinction is artificial. It is created by using wedge issues, that many people feel strongly about, yet aren't really that important in the long run.
Gay marriage? Who the f*ck cares.
Illegal immigration? It is de-facto legal immigration. These people are already here.
Flag burning? Flag pin wearing? Gun ownership?
All these issues are trivial, when set against the vast challenges we face, in energy, environment, finance, global competition. The things that candidates rarely talk about.
Because they can't.
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Vilification of Iran
[Read the article: Obama goes over the top in bashing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It serves several purposes. First, it allows the U.S. to keep a big footprint in the middle east, it allows the U.S. to keep shipping arms and munitions to the middle east.
Second, it allows the U.S. government to distract people from real issues.
One thing that Israel has not quite realized, is that it is being used as a pawn by the U.S.
Or maybe they have realized that. And maybe the American people are the real pawns.
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Its called "jumping the shark"
[Read the article: Friday's debate: A bizarre game of chicken]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If McCain's campaign was a movie script, it would be called, "Dude, where's my dignity?"
It probably wouldn't get greenlighted.
And if it got produced, probably people would be walking out and asking for their money back.
I expect McCain to jump up and down on Oprah's couch, yelling, "I love Sarah!!".
This week, it was like "Take your daughter to work day" at the U.N.
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Attention, citizens!
[Read the article: Friday's debate: A bizarre game of chicken]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Due to the impending financial crisis, this year's presidential election is being rescheduled for 2012."
Thank you.
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The problem with Iraq..
[Read the article: Remember Iraq?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here].. is that Americans don't understand it.
The country is too varied, and the situation too nuanced, and the environment too complex, for the average American to have any idea what is really going on.
That is why the candidates speak in simple soundbites.
Notice that when obama goes into any deeper analysis, people accuse him of being to pedantic and professorial.
They'd rather the simple black-and-white soundbites.
Iran is evil! The surge worked! Support the troops!
Anyhoo, its all good, right?
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Why demonize Iran?
[Read the article: Salon Radio: L.A. Times' Tim Rutten on Ahmadinejad]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]1) It allows the U.S. to maintain a military presence in the middle east.
2) It allows the U.S. to ship weapons and arms to the middle east.
3) It allows the U.S. to fuel Shia/Sunni conflicts.
4) It serves as a justification of monetary and military support for Israel.
5) It allows the political machines to manipulate the religious lives of Americans, by promoting an us-vs-them mentality.
6) It serves as a distraction from other things. For example, we don't do much about genocide. (Even though the motto after the Holocaust was "never again".)
This is why I think it unlikely the U.S. will attack Iran. They are more valuable as a political tool.
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Witness the soviets
[Read the article: Why we're losing in Afghanistan]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The soviet union could not defeat this type of insurgency.
We won't either. The taliban is a part of the earth there, like the dirt and shrubs. They cannot be defeated because they already are defeated.
While we drive around in our SUVs and watch politics on cable, these people eke out a hard existence in a land half a world away.
We should just take our lumps and go home. Besides, we now have our own problems to worry about.
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"Vitriolic hatred" -- why?
[Read the article: Say it ain't so, Joe!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Lou asked, "Why would Joe have hatred of obama, when Obama supported him in his election?"
Exactly. Think about it, Lou, and I bet it will come to you.
Negros and Arabs are about the same to some people.
Its that simple.