Alex writes the Good:
I read your column religiously every week. Who says the Left isn't devout?
No journalist better articulates my hopes and fears about this beautiful country. Your writing has inspired me, and made me a better citizen. Armed with information and emotion from your work (and other progressive sources), I have spent the last few years engaging people in discussion whenever I can. Like loving and responsible parents owe it to their children to teach them right from wrong and let them know when they make mistakes, patriotic citizens owe it to their country and their leaders to do the same, and your writing plays a pivotal role in galvanizing this effort. While the mainstream media rewards passivity and complacency, your writing inspires action and commitment.
When this wonderful nation behaves like a drunk driver, the mainstream media behaves like the bad friend who jumps gingerly into the passenger seat, while you try to do what a true friend should and take away the keys -- and yet it is responsible and progressive citizens such as you and I who get called "un-American" when we are the only ones actually trying to save America.
I was shocked to read about WashingtonPost.com's recent actions where you are concerned. I have already written them to express my total dismay. As I said in my letter to them, it is nothing short of shameful that they would dismiss their most intelligent, well-researched, courageous socio-political commentator, in the midst of the most censorship-heavy and repressive period in recent media history.
Ted, you have my unconditional support and gratitude, for everything you have done and continue to do for our great land.
If there is ever anything I can do for you, please let me know.
As I wrote below, I do have regrets about the cartoon that prompted the Post's (heavyhanded) decision. But Alex understands what I'm trying to do, conveying it perfectly with his DWI analogy. When this country that I adore goes off the rails, yielding to its worst impulses, it's the duty of patriotic Americans to speak up, to try to get us back on the straight and narrow.
Frequent correspondent Izzy writes:
My general feeling is, what the hell is the point at this stage.
I've spent most of my waking hours since Nov. 3 feeling physically sick and trying not to scream. I don't see any way out of this. Friend of mine says it's time to just let go of the wheel put the car in the ditch (metaphorically, scene from fight Club comes to mind...) and then go on from there. Considering the last few years, and the exponential growth in horror that we all expect to see (and are already seeing) from BushCo, what answer is there??? The game is rigged... There's no way out. As the Good Doctor (Hunter Thompson) says, "We are as doomed as shithouse rats". My signature line use to be, "Keep the faith" or "March or Die". Too late...
Yes, things seem grim. Things are grim. Our country is in the hands of a stupid, vicious dictator. He's already started sabre-rattling against Iran--talk of "regime change" is already being bandied about in D.C. We, the United States, run an extensive system of concentration camps around the world where thousands of innocent people are being tortured by our own government employees. Bushism is neofascism minus the cool uniforms.
The United States, not to mention the world, have been in far worse situations--and we've survived, even gotten better. It is our duty not to give up or give in, but to keep on fighting. This is all the more true when the situation looks bad. After all, do you want to be like the "fans" of a losing baseball team who only show up to cheer at the stadium when there's a chance of winning? Any liberal asshole can work to get rid of the Repugnicants when, as occured before November 2, we had a good chance of expelling them. What takes genuine commitment is to keep fighting now. Chin up, Izzy. And don't go to Canada unless they start rounding us up too.
MIKENOMGI@aol.com writes:
You're such a whacked-out lefty, even the NYT and Washington Post don't want you. Maybe you could do a singing gig with Streisand or that nutcake washed up hippie Ronstandt. Jackass!
This one stands for itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment