GOING HOME
Re: Paul Beston’s Tillman the
Great and Reader Mail’s Pat Tillman,
RIP:
Thank you for so eloquently putting into words the emotions that
I was feeling. Pat Tillman is most definitely a Homeric hero in
today’s society of athletes who worship money more than honor and
personal sacrifice. I wept at his passing, but honor his memory,
and hope that more of our young men and women realize what Tillman
realized — that if you aren’t willing to lay down your life for
what you believe, then what is that life worth living for? Even if
it comes with money in the bank, it is more hollow than one can
even imagine.
— Sarah R. Palmer
California
I was going to write regarding Pat Tillman’s sacrifice but was
unable to complete the letter. I am glad others wrote in to express
a lot of the feelings I had over his death. Honor and integrity are
alive and well in this nation in people such as Pat Tillman. My
faith in my nation has been restored through this man. God Bless
Him and I know he is with the Lord right now.
— Pete Chagnon
Many will not understand my reference but, when I heard of Pat
Tillman’s death, it felt exactly the same as when I watched on TV
and saw Dale Earnhardt taken from us race fans. It still feels that
way and will for a long time to come.
Duty, Honor, Country — Pat Tillman knew what that meant. He
lived and, yes, died by this noble code. He has fulfilled God’s
purpose for him and now has been taken home.
— Ken Shreve
New Hampshire
MARCH TO NOWHERE
Re: George Neumayr’s Among the
Pagan Ladies:
You missed the children carrying the “Abort Bush” signs and the
chants of “Keep your Messiah out of my … ” Tragic!!
Clear channel interviewed me upon my return to Denver and I
mentioned the incredibly disrespectful stuff I saw. Nothing was
used in their report.
— Leslie Hanks
Colorado Right to Life
Lesforlife@earthlink.net
When my own daughter was in high school, I told her if she had any
idea of getting pregnant, which was the thing to do then (babies
are so cute), that I would NOT raise another child after having
three….for her. Her choice would be to never see that baby, but
to give it to a loving couple who could give it a good home. No
abortion.
Where are the mothers of today who let their daughters leave the
house looking like sluts, or have taken them to Planned Parenthood
to be brainwashed by their liberal agenda?
An Old-fashioned Mother,
— Eleanor G. Vignale
P.S. Those were NOT ladies. Just liberal women who have missed
out on one of the few pleasures in life. The freedom of doing what
you want without being pressured.
Regarding the article on Pagan Ladies — you’ve got to be kidding.
Any time anyone exercises their freedom of speech that you
“compassionate conservatives” disagree with you see fit to hold
them up to scorn and ridicule. That’s your right. But it’s also
those women’s right to get their message out, whether you like it
or not. I defend them both. I get the impression that those of your
ilk, however, would like to silence any of the speech you disagree
with. But, oh dear, then it’s not free speech is it?
Damned Constitution!
— Scott
Pennsylvania
George Neumayr’s descriptions of Sunday’s “March for Women’s Lives”
approximate the same kinds of “pagan” activity, language, and
acting out seen at public events staged on behalf of homosexual
marriage and other homosexual events such as “gay pride parades”;
radical environmentalists and animal rights protests; feminists and
other “minority rights hustlers”; and other liberal/Democrat Party
special interest groups. No wonder the country is inexorably
trending toward conservative thinking and policies. And, that’s a
good thing!
— A. A. Reynolds
For years I have tried to think of a succinct description of
Francis Kissling. I am grateful to George Neumayr for solving this
problem. “Repulsive heretic” says it all.
In these dark times, Neumayr’s sharp eyes and sharper tongue
always hearten me.
— Mary Jane Ballou
Gainesville, Florida
George Neumayr wrote of Saturday’s pro-abortion march in DC,
“Speakers called the event the largest ‘march in history,’ and
claimed a ‘million marchers.’ They were only off by about 700,000
(if the press’s generous 300,000 figure is accurate).”
CNN.com, citing an AP wire, is reporting the number thus:
“Authorities no longer give formal crowd estimates, but various
police sources informally estimated the throng at between 500,000
and 800,000 strong.” FoxNews.com paraphrases, but reports the same.
Both point out that this would exceed the 500,000 claimed for the
1992 march, which Fox called “the last major pro-abortion rally.”
At least they got the terminology right.
Echoing the infamous gun-control rally that also failed to live
up to its advance estimate, they should have called this “the
Million non-Mom March.” Don’t worry too much about it: many of them
will eventually marry, give up this nonsense, and vote for
conservatives. And if any of these “ladies” are from Texas, they
have to know that their efforts now are largely in vain. Down here,
we just pat our Leftists on the head and let them go on their way
with our laughter ringing in their ears: they never look so good or
sound so silly as when they’re angry.
— Stephen Foulard
Houston, Texas
In spring ‘87 at the first pro-abort rally in DC numbering 250,000,
about a dozen pro-life pickets including me walked around the
perimeter of that large contingent.
I and a few others spread out to do this, and thus were
essentially alone in our confrontations with that army of beasts
(no intention here of slighting animals).
In my eye to eye contact and the back and forth of body
posturing and facial expressions, it was easy to see that those
wanton baby killers had no chutzpah whatsoever. It was like looking
into the numerous eyes of demon possessed maniacs. You could almost
see the spiritual chains holding them to their little places on the
ground.
Those adults, typically manifesting the appearance of bedraggled
college students from the sixties, did their fiercest best to
create fear by both their numbers and their gestures. It was one
pathetic lot of cowardly bullies looking for a way to prance over
and make a kill, their throng to any one of us.
I’ve seen and known some genuinely courageous people, but not
among those thousands that day. Maybe the inward force of their
immorality acted to quench any normal human level of courage; maybe
the wages of sin is death in the form sometimes of the loss of
character strength.
In a showdown those kind of people would be routed quickly by
any modest number of morally strong characters. It would be a David
versus Goliath event, and even thus would be overkill by David.
— John L. Sillasen
A correction is needed to the April 26th piece by George Neumayr
titled “Among the Pagan Ladies”:
“And march organizers cobbled together other phony religious
fronts for abortion, such as ‘Religious Coalition for Reproductive
Choice’…”
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice has been
around since 1973 and their membership has, for much of that time,
included a number of mainline religious movements from the
Episcopal Church to Reform Judaism. Whether you agree with their
position or not, they were certainly not “cobbled together” for
some march.
— Dwight Welch, student president
University Christian Ministries-SIU
Of course George Bush is guilty. Of everything, I suppose. I just
happen to think these women shame me and shame George Bush. I know
I am in the minority , but that gives me comfort. Mostly they shame
themselves. The so-called celebs at the march should consider
shutting up. They bore me, they are boring. Enough already with the
celebs.
— P.A. Hennessey
Cannington, Ontario
Canada
ATTILA ARLEN
Re: Shawn Macomber’s Wooing the
Goldwater Vote:
Have you stooped to hiring writers away from The
Nation?
Shawn Macomber’s piece on right wing loonies, T shirt slogans,
NRA members, Samurai swords and the Third Reich make for colorful
copy, but is it necessary to tie all these things together? Is this
meant to enhance Specter’s standing with conservatives?
I submit that all the people at that gun show were law abiding
citizens, concerned about the loss of their civil liberties.
Bed-wetters like Shawn Macomber should stay in bed if they are
so easily frightened by displays of hunting rifles and
militaria.
Some interesting topics that could have been covered in this
article were Arlen’s refusal to vote for Clinton’s impeachment, and
his demonstrated consistent irrational behavior when votes in the
Senate are being cast.
Does Shawn Macomber somehow feel that the government has NOT
engaged in enough excesses under the Clinton-Gore-Reno regime to
warrant any concern?
Randy Weaver and Britney Spears tie in with Arlen Specter…how,
exactly?
If this is a piece designed to apologize for Arlen’s
shortcomings, it falls short; it fails to extol his virtues; and it
does very little except to question the credibility of a magazine
that would publish such gibberish.
— Lamar Johnson
Portland, Oregon
The term “codel” refers to a congressional delegation that visits
U.S. embassies/consulates overseas to familiarize the participants
with problems or particular aspects of our foreign policy. Although
the term “junket” can also be used, connoting light and transient
reasons for the trip, a “codel” visit can, if well-organized and
properly scheduled, have a beneficial outcome for the
participants.
Sen. Arlen Specter’s many “codel” visits to Israel and other
locales have cost the U.S. taxpayer thousands, if not hundreds of
thousands, of dollars. I wait for the fruits of the senator’s
wisdom to appear, but, alas, I wait in vain. But Specter is not
unique in taking government-sponsored trips; what makes him special
is that he pushes the envelope. Included in his travel plans there
is the requirement to schedule his daily squash game, and Lord have
mercy on the embassy official or Senate aide who foolishly forgets
the senator’s priorities. Hell hath no fury as a Specter
disappointed. Or his requirement that the plane, often a U.S.
government jet, be plentifully stacked with Evian water. None of
that Maine spring stuff for Snarlin’ Arlen. And, of course, while
in Israel, our senator from Pennsylvania, by way of Russell,
Kansas, can, if he can find the time from his onerous duties, visit
his sister. Ain’t life grand!
Senator Specter’s metamorphosis into an Attila with a Kansas
twang is as phony as the Social Security cards now being sold along
the U.S./Mexican border. His unceasing refusal to follow party
lines is legendary: he led the charge against Robert Bork, voted to
increase taxes, and, more often than not, supports the Democratic
Party’s social program, including partial birth abortion. Yet, this
president and the Republican Party stalwarts will not even show
neutrality towards Pat Toomey, a Republican conservative’s dream
candidate. But that may just be the problem. After all, if Senator
Specter is good enough for George Soros, then he must also be good
enough for George Bush.
But if there is one big loser in this primary election, it is
the credibility of Pennsylvania’s other senator, Rick Santorum.
Specter and Santorum are polar opposites on social, as well as
economic, issues. The latter, while writing as a columnist in a
Catholic monthly, has often decried the need for
representatives/senators similar to Toomey, but after standing
aloof at first, Santorum, probably coerced by the White House,
endorsed the Specter candidacy. It is a sorry spectacle: Santorum
supporting Specter!
“Nolite confidere principbus.” Place not your trust in
princes.
— Vincent Chiarello
Reston, Virginia
