Letters to the Editor
GrantS
Published Letters: 40 Editor's Choice: 6
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It's good to see someone points out that the spin isn't working.
[Read the article: A surge of phony spin on Iraq]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Excellent piece. As a new member to Salon I applaud your efforts to root out some truth. Whatever happened to the mainstream media?
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White males live in cities too.
[Read the article: So long, white boy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Welcome back to 1995-6. Surely something must have changed in the last 11 years, but no Schaller says the Democratic Party should rely on something other than the white male.
What rubbish. The last election quite clearly showed that the voting demographics are more a rural/urban split than a white/black, male/female vote split. The only consideration might be the north/south vote. The country needs also to overcome the terrible gerrymandering to help generate results more in line with overall patterns.
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This review seems to forget the more recent rise in atheism
[Read the article: Divine politics]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It would have been interesting to note if the non-theist crowd factors into Miller's ideas of current trends and whether that influence is directly responsible for much of the evangelical movement we see today.
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There is a saying...
[Read the article: I'm sexy and available! Chat me up!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]it goes like this:
It's not who loves you; it's who you love that decides who you are as a person.
I believe this can easily be reworded as it's no who approaches you; it's who you approach that decides who you are as a person.
Now I am an introvert but have been lucky enough to have been in a couple of relationships in my life. I can tell you that it was I who decided to take the plunge to approach and when accepted to continue (to my surprise) what I had started.
Many times I had been too gutless to do so. It was my loss for not attempting to live life. I think you have been going through the same thing. There isn't much time on this earth to live the life you want and watching it pass by is hardly the best option. Good luck.
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Please keep the pressure up.
[Read the article: "Nazis" and "Hitler" -- the Right's casual, trivializing political insults]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The world needs to thank you more for continuing to spot the inconsistencies seen in these organizations. That such silence is deafeaning is also scary, as supposedly neutral organizations that claim such authority have political bias. In the long run it only hurts democracy and the semblance of truth.
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You're not getting your emotional needs met by your husband. Try to or get a divorce.
[Read the article: I'm cheating on my husband and loving it. Is that a problem?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You say you're cheating on him and LOVING it. Breaking a vow is sad enough but you make it sound like you deeply treasure the cheating moments.
This will all end in tears, I'm afraid, and Cary's advise to take action now to prevent such is the best advise I could give as well.
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The more things change the more they stay the same.
[Read the article: How Bush wrecked conservatism]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I for one minute do not believe that the Conservative Movement is stupid. After all, they have gotten everything that they have sought. Where is the stupidity in that? Conservatives have so overtaken the levers of power that the whole spectrum of politics is shifted to the right. How, why or when this happened is worthy of another column.
The problem as I see it is not the conservatives but the weak, ineffective and unorganized liberal/libertarian majority. This is the same group guilty of voter apathy and silent/empty protests. Unfortunately even if push comes to shove this group simply does not have the steely fortitude to push for good and just policies in the face of arrogance and self-righteousness of the right wing. The appeal of "having bigger balls" will always draw newcomers to the conservative movement. This might is right attitude is pervasive throughout American history and shows no sign of abating even with a failed war policy. This is the empire mentality so sneered at by the rest of the world.
Americans and their elected officials need a shrink. The machismo and testosterone of the right wing is an aphrodisiac to the unthinking population. Electing Hillary will not dilute these attitudes because she offers much of the same, much like Margaret Thatcher. To overcome this slow march to even greater hawkishness requires public understanding of how authoritarian mindsets work, temporarily starving the congressional-military-industrial complex, greater overall education, denying a voice to the extremist evangelical movement, a stronger press, and a open, honest, public discussion of the culpable activity the White House so far denies (to name a few). Really, it all disgusts me and Americans should be ashamed.
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The end of a marriage can be ugly.
[Read the article: May we congratulate you on your divorce]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I wonder if these messages aren't meant for the ex just as much as the friends. This is a way for the sender to proclaim "These friends are mine (not yours) and they stick with me". This may be one last chance to twist the emotional knife during an emotional time.
As for the gifts, well, that's just ridiculous.
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"Us" and "Them"
[Read the article: We are the Thought Police]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That is all it's about. Americans have allowed themselves to see Iraqi's (and anyone else not American) as outsiders, as non-people, as not worthy of humane treatment. It seems that by dividing the world into "Us" and "Them", distinctions are made that allow for indecent, self-righteous, violent, disgusting, immoral behavior to those not belonging to the "Us" group. It is how it happened in Germany and it is how it is happening today. Terms like "Support Our Troops" really means "Support Our Troops Regardless Of Actions". Unconditional support becomes unchecked support and gross behavior is overlooked for the greater good.
Once you've bought into the Us/Them mentality it becomes harder and harder to see the world any other way. It is a black/white dichotomy type mentality and to go back and see otherwise is treated as treasonous, traitorous behavior. "Traitors" espousing truths are ignored or outright vilified as best seen by most right-wing talk show hosts. This public show of scorn is an efficient way to deny visible truths. Ditch the Us/Them mentality and the fear to see "outside" information disappears.
It is unfortunate that more Democratic leaders haven't pushed this knowledge to the public (and if they have tried then it's a piss-poor job of trying).