Letters to the Editor
BeOfUse
Published Letters: 46 Editor's Choice: 1
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General "Waste More Land" & Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones
[Read the article: Profiles in Democratic cowardice]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree with Ms Walsh’s assessment of the “facts on the ground” in the Senate and the outrageous cowardice of the (my) Democratic Party Senators. Move.On’s political commentary, however distasteful requires publication, for it is at the heart of FREE SPEECH, which in my view, has become an endangered species under this current administration.
I watched the Move.On distraction vote and was shocked by 3 “aye” votes in particular - Leahy and Feinstein on one hand and Jim Webb on the other. Doesn’t anyone remember, “sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? The Senators AND the White House are enduring the painful symptoms of those afflicted with obsessive self-importance and grandiosity – they are overly sensitive, easily hurt and don’t suffer well (or quietly)! Neither the Congress nor the White House can figure out why we the People don’t hold the other body in more contempt than we already do. I can’t figure it out either. Now THAT makes me smile!
Senators Leahy and Feinstein on the Judiciary Committee have day-to-day involvement in the US Attorneys' firings and have thus had their noses rubbed in the droppings left by a decade of NO MEANINGFUL CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. They have a semi-detailed account and perhaps terrifying vision of efforts by this Administration to eviscerate our Constitution and provide unfettered and unchecked Executive authority. The OBVIOUS display is the Gonzales betrayal (dare I use that word?) of the Department of Justice, in principle and practice, causing the systematic erosion of voter, civil and workplace rights, and no doubt, signifying only the first few “benchmarks” of our Bush-led Executive Branch run amok.
And Senator Webb MUST REMEMBER the title General “Waste More Land” (the architect of the napalm-driven “destroy and search” missions - NOT the real “search and destroy” operations in which 1st Lieutenant Webb honored his Unit, the Corps and Country with heroic service and receipt of the Navy Cross. He might also recall seeing beads with peace medallions rattling next to dog tags and “short-timer” calendars with a GI peeking out over the top of an Army boot.
When I came back to Schofield Barracks, home of the 25th Infantry Division (”Tropic Lightning”), protesters were gathered at both gates (the back gate was open about 2 hours a week but that didn’t matter to the crowd at the bottom of the hill along “Kam” Highway). I’m 64 years old, an U.S. Army Viet Nam veteran who still considers it a privilege to have served the people and protected the Constitution.
ONE OF THE THINGS I PROTECTED was the right of that obnoxious crowd to yell at me every time I went on or off post at Schofield. ANOTHER WAS TO SAFEGUARD Move.On’s right to make its unsavory characterization of a distinguished military officer who has seemingly been politicized, which makes him fair (or unfair) game in that arena. For this venomously divided Congress to remove the blindfold only long enough to take a swing at the Free Speech piñata (which DOES contain Move.On among the other, more tasty treats) is misguided and pathetic. For Senators Leahy, Feinstein and Webb, such condemnation just boggles my mind.
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No Elections in a Dynasty
[Read the article: The nag, the witch and the media]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I loved the article about Hils - Rumpole's version of "she who must be obeyed". In my view, dynasty stuff has never merited conversation, especially in print, but the Boy King may have presented an exception. Your statement, "since the country elected both Bush presidents" doesn't hold up. Whatever took place in 2000, especially in Florida, could not have been called an "ELECTION". Joan, Joan, Joan, have you forgotten?
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Scarecrow - "THE WORST JOB IN THE WORLD"
[Read the article: Perino watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]No, this is not a segment from Keith Olberman - it's just my observation. Ms. Perino is the latest scarecrow standing guard over the White House's recent harvest of lies, blunders and terrible, if unintended consequences.
The present upside for her however is two-fold and dramatic: since the Democrats were issued their wings last election, they've REMAINED TOO FEARFUL TO FLY, and now seem like pathetic pidgeons scurrying around, with heads bobbing for waning scraps yet can't fly in search of a better park; and the press, having submitted to the post 9/11 lobotomy offered by this administration, continues to wander without memory or purpose, unable to ingest much less digest the critical and dangerous truths of these critical and dangerous times.
Ms Perino, equipped with the right footwear, may stand dead center in that crop of crap (called a press briefing), say whatever comes into her head to a vacant press corps, and never worry about needing a wide brim hat to protect her from any avian Congressional "fallout".
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When "Cry Wolf" Works.
[Read the article: The NIE changed everything. Yeah, right]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The distortion about the WMD in Iraq came from Cheney's direct intervention via his numerous visits to the Agency and no doubt, other source generators. Does anyone remember the flap of how Cheney's daily planner became sancrosant and the "forbidden fruit". Was it right around the time Sy Hersh was talking to people in "the community" who were exhausted and offended by the micromanagment and faux-analysis or everthing to be used in support of this ill begotten if not illegal war? Hmmm.