Letters to the Editor
DaveY
Published Letters: 3
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A Key Point Missing
[Read the article: Is Briana Waters a terrorist?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Tracy Tullis seems to be saying that this kind arson isn't that big a deal and the war on "eco-terrorism" is government run amuck. Still, the clear theme of this story is that Briana is completely innocent and was railroaded to prison through the use of perjured testimony of participants saving their own skin. She neglected to mention that there was other evidence that clearly supported their version of events. One of the witnesses claimed Briana provided a rental car for their getaway. Briana's cousin testified that he rented a car for her that day and all the rental receipts and a paper trail of the $200 she paid him were all provided. She was actually lucky to get a hung jury on the more serious counts. I find this little "omission” pretty sleazy.
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Advocacy not Journalism
[Read the article: Is Briana Waters a terrorist?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The purpose of this article is to generate sympathy for Briana and outrage against the legal system that convicted her. Tullis has no interest in telling the reader "facts" that run counter to this purpose. This is Advocacy not Journalism. I am surprised at the number of readers that have fallen for it.
I don't know if she is guilty or if she was dealt with fairly but I do know there was a lot more to this case than Tullis lets on. IF there really is a problem with the case against Briana then Salon should assign a REAL journalist who can get to the bottom of it. This sort of thing is right for Fox News but I expect more from Salon.
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A better idea
[Read the article: Obama is wrong about the gas tax]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The 60ct on the dollar benefit from the Ill gas tax holiday is "underwhelming". The only real justification I can see for the Holiday would be in a situation where gas was temporarily spiking was it would be, in the public interest, that people do not alter their long term spending pattern in response to a short term situation; i.e. That people would keep buying SUV's. This is certainly not the case. The situation has change and people are going to have to start adjusting,
better now than in September.
For those who believe that most people consider good government to be when government borrows money (they or their kids will ultimatly repay) and spend it in a way that at least a little of it will fall their way, I have a better idea.
Papa Doc in Haiti, used to drive through Port au Prince throwing dollar bills out the windows. Crowds would chase after him. This would accomplish pretty much the same thing as the gas tax and cut out the middle man.