Letters to the Editor
Rowyna
Published Letters: 105 Editor's Choice: 36
-
The real tragedy isn't even about the medical care
[Read the article: A sickening truth at Guantánamo]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The real tragedy here isn't really even about the apparently lack of medical care (although that is a bit sad, but really, unsurprising).
The real tragedy is that this man, who may now be dying, has spend 5 years of his life imprisoned for no reason. He has entirely missed out on his daughters life, and if he does die, she will most certainly never remember him.
Perhaps she will grow up bitter and angry at the people who took the time she could have had with her father away from her.
Perhaps her anger will turn to something greater, and she will try to exact revenge against the very government and people who she (rightly) hates and blames for stealing her father from her.
That’s just a scenario, but I think its important to understand that the real tragedy of Guantanamo goes beyond the illegal and immoral detention of people who have been charged with no crime. It extends to all of the family, friends and loved ones of those who have been so unjustly incarcerated. Each of them suffers, and will continue to suffer, long after the US government's ill-fated experience with detention camps finally closes.
-
@ deering & Aycharaych
[Read the article: What's the matter with kids today?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]A bit off topic... I'm sorry to say that in my experience you guys are the exceptions, not the rule when it comes to Boomers and tech. (I mean, to start with you read the Salon… an online newspaper that isn’t the NYT! Already rather exceptional for your generation imo…)
I love my boomer parents (and their friends) to bits, but for better or worse they are definitely NOT running their own blogs and facebook. (Both, for the record, are employed as computer programmers/computer architects).
They could program all sorts of stuff, but have never quite gotten the hang of the intertoobz! I’m pretty sure they had no idea what was going on when I was 12 years old and messing around on BBSs (so old skool!) with a bunch of 25 year-old wannabe hackers. Just as I have my doubts that the current crop of parentals knows what’s going on when their 12 year olds are on MySpace and Facebook and god-knows-where-the-kids-hang-out-these-days…
I have to be understanding though. It drives me crazy when my mom sends me emails with a zillion 2mb photos attached, but then I think, she’s had to deal with all sorts of different photo-taking technology. For me, it was “ok, no more film, I get it”, but when she was a kid I kind of doubt cameras were so common place.
So yeah, boomers could probably do a better job keeping up-to-date on all the newest and coolest tech and social trends (as deering and Aycharaych do… seriously, kudos guys). But, I kind of cut them some slack for not always being right there – after all, they’ve had to go through a lot more changes and keep up with a lot more stuff than my 25 year-old self.
But then maybe they should cut Gen Y some slack as well. After all, it IS kind of amazing what kids have learned to do in the webz, and everywhere else. It isn’t just apple inventing iPods… its your kids saying “hey, the way we’re doing this whole music thing right now is dumb. lets do it differently”. Change drives innovation, but sometimes keeping up to speed on it all is hard.
-
Glad it all worked out
[Read the article: The cat whisperer]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm glad it all worked out with Thomson. So many people who have "trouble" pets just abandon them or even have them put down!
I think a lot of people have trouble with the idea that animals DON'T think like humans, even our most domesticated house pets, cats and dogs, are still animals with instincts and intrinsic ways of understanding their world.
Articles like this should remind people that our pets don't always understand us, and we often don't understand them. Instead of throwing in the towel, often we just need to think about the problem from a different (more pet-centric) perspective!
The background you find out about cats, and how they were originally domesticated, is great. It really paves the way to understanding more about why they behave the way they do!
-
For all those wondering about Obama's connection to the Rev...
[Read the article: Rev. Jeremiah Wright isn't the problem]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I encourage anyone who has missed it to read the transcript of Obama's speech in response to the comments of his pastor. Link is: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/us/politics/18text-obama.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=ee9b37a72e4cff50&ex=1206072000
He quite eloquently and honestly explains his connection to Rev Wright, and where their two viewpoints and policies differ. The MSM has harped on the point that Obama did not unequivocally dismiss his connection to Wright. I think dismissing Wright and what he stands for would be a mistake.
As Kamiya points out in this article -- no matter how extreme many may feel Wright's comments to be, it is foolish to pretend they simply materialised out of thin air.
Before making snap judgements based on media reports, more people should take the time to read Obama's actual response. Personally, this particular speech more than anything has cemented his candidacy in my mind.