Letters to the Editor
I'd rather not say
Published Letters: 143 Editor's Choice: 22
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Not your call
[Read the article: Shouldn't my dad be told that he has Alzheimer's?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As painful as it is, this is your mother's call to make. If they were as close as you say, then trust her decision. Talk with her about it. But she is the one doing the caregiving -- a difficult job -- and you should respect her wishes here. Then see how you can help her, which might be hard from far away.
I would not discount the power of denial. As my father-in-law slipped away over a few years -- from "ordinary" dementia & health problems, not Alzheimer's -- he lost little bits of himself at a time. But he denied anything was ever wrong. He was a strong and proud man, and the fate he suffered was the last he would ever have chosen for himself. I think that, for him, admitting it would have been awful. I think soldiering on actually bought him some extra time at home.
There probably is no good answer for this one. You cannot do too much directly for your dad, but you can help your mom, and thereby help your dad too.
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Support Pelosi
[Read the article: CNN's John Roberts helps out Mike McConnell]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]How do we email Pelosi our support for standing up against the insanity?
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Political stunt?
[Read the article: House Republicans stage protest walkout]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Takes one to know one, as they say.
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Not so easy
[Read the article: What would Michelle Obama do?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, however Michelle Obama chooses to define her role as First Lady, I predict that there will be a number of commentators who will find it odd or unprecedented, and then America's just going to get over it.
You're kidding, right? They're still not over Hillary. They're still arguing whether what she did counts as a record or not, whether she "overstepped" her role, etc. She pissed people off so deeply they are still red in the face all these years later. They're still picking apart her marriage, her right to run for office, her parenting skills (see, Shuster, David).
I don't think any of this means you have to support Hillary for president. But you're kidding yourself if you think Michele Obama will easily do whatever she wants. And if her road is easier she will owe at least some bit of gratitude for it to Hillary.
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Free speech for both sides
[Read the article: Radical Muslims threaten those who dissent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm all for Code Pink's right to protest the war. But I don't get the whole thing about closing recruting offices and keeping recruiters off campuses. Why is freedom of speech okay for Code Pink and Berkely but not the military recruiters? Why would they assume that a young person walking into a recruiting office is too stupid to make an informed decision about his or her own life?
One can be against this war but still find value in a military career or service. There is a difference between being a chicken hawk warmonger and serving in the military, even if you are sent off to fight in the mess that is this Iraq war.
I am related to and know many people who have served in various branches, and they do not mindlessly support Bush or the war or even the Republican party. They wanted to serve their country, travel the world, find careers -- many different things. I appreciate that as part of that they were willing to put themselves on the line if called, as some have been.
I think the Berkeley city council comes off looking pretty stupid in this whole thing. If Code Pink wants to go broad-brush and extreme in their views, go for it. But the city council that is passing laws trying to get the Marine office out looks as dumb as DeMint trying to stop the federal money.
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Not sexist but...
[Read the article: Quote of the day: Obama on Clinton ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]why does this coverage seem to assume that Clinton plays dirty, will do anything to win, etc., and that Obama is somehow pure and above the fray? As if he just happened to wander into politics, as if he hasn't carefully calculated his career like anyone else would.
New York Magazine has an interesting article on this, about how Hillary is trapped in her "story" and Obama has been freed by his: http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/44211/
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Remember the old Video Dog?
[Read the article: Scott Bateman: I'm Hillary Clinton and I approved this message]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The one that was kind of fun?
Nothing against Bateman or Red State, but I enjoyed the Amy Sedaris Microsoft Office ad on the home page more than I enjoy the current incarnation of Video Dog. I'm really not interested in seeing Salon reporters talk to me. I'd rather just read them, thanks.
Video Dog used to be like Oddball on Countdown. What was wrong with that?
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Couldn't the $10 mil...
[Read the article: What will Nader say on "Meet the Press"?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]be put to better use than this? He could help his causes more by spending it on something other than a spoiler presidential campaign.
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Keep em busy
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's this column's sincere hope that the Clemens affair doesn't distract Congress from its real work, investigating the videotaping activities of cheater and probable liar Bill Belichick, coach of the New England Patriots.
I suppose it keeps them from screwing up other things any worse than they already have. And don't worry, Arlen Specter will talk big about going after Belichick and then vote with all the Republicans anyway.
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Only Stephen Colbert doesn't see color
[Read the article: Is Obama playing the race card?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I support Hillary, I'm OK with Obama. I don't think she's racist, and I don't think Obama is trying to paint her as one.
But I don't understand why we are all supposed to pretend that race and gender shouldn't be factors here. White guys have reaped the benefits of white-guy-ness since forever. If Obama actually benefits from being the black candidate, what is the problem with that? Why shouldn't a black person (or a white person) be inspired by the idea that this guy has a real shot at the top job? Why shouldn't I find it inspiring that a member of the female half of the population might get elected? Why shouldn't the candidates get the benefit of it, if for once it is a benefit?
Men have always been allowed to be swayed by the "manly" brush clearing, who-would-you-like-to-have-a-beer-with factors, so why is this unacceptable for the Obama and Hillary supporters? I'd love to have a beer with Hillary.