The American Spectator

Reader Mail

HIGHER INDOCTRINATION
Re: Jay D. Homnick's Non Campus Mentis:

Finally some one has put their finger on the weak link in the liberal chain. I have been telling my friends for years that it does no good to fight and even win particular battles with liberals while we allow a new crop of them to be produced by our colleges and universities every 4 years. Conservatives have allowed liberals free rein in indoctrinating our children for far too long. They need to be challenged at every step and in every grade level by every means necessary. Let’s take back our children from these liberal losers.
-- Jim Feeney

Why not a national University similar to the military academies but sponsored by the party? Each state could recruit their promising YR’s and by appointment send them to the Party University (not party school). There professors like Walter Williams et al would ground them in American traditions, read Conservative values, and create patriotic American leaders for the future. Tuition could be charged or party work required in exchange. Certainly would build a solid base of educated leadership.
-- Phil King

SOUL SEARCH
Re: George Neumayr's Cautiousness You Can't Believe In: 

You know, if there was just one lesson to learn from these self-loathing, maniacal, sociopaths we've just elected that might make all this palatable, it might be that we can no longer afford to allow others to define us. Either we know the meaning of freedom or we do not. And those who do know, must daily be personally engaged in the education of others to combat a pervasive ignorance which would mock their lives and strip them of honor and dignity. The ivory towers are fallen. Time to spend what treasure we have on turning the hearts of those we can touch, and forget movements, causes, and maybe even most issues. We have little choice now but to enlighten the world one soul at a time, and hope for a change. Hmm, that sounds catchy. Maybe we can use it, too.
-- Mike Showalter
Austin, Texas

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Re: Anonymous's Throwing Away the Key in Burma:

As I read your Burma/Myanmar story, one quote struck me: 

“That's the only way they can keep control. Their very intention is to keep people away from knowledge and education."

That is also a foundation of Democrat Party politics and their union cronies in the NEA, AFT, and other educational institutions. 

A truly literate, well-informed, and educated (not indoctrinated) U.S. voting public would never have put Barack Obama in power.
-- Dave Schallert
Parker, Colorado

MOMMY DEAREST
Re: Bill Croke's The Wicked Witch of the West:

To these socialist busybodies, the Golden Rule is a concept too difficult to comprehend. "It's an enormous concept with thousands of years of history to try to fight hate and violence, but we have to start somewhere." That is, the Crusade gives her a warm and fuzzy feeling all over. If she saw you spank your kid in the store, it's off to the clinker for you. But let her little darling yank a jar of spaghetti sauce to the floor and there should be a law placing breakables out of children's reach. Stores would be fined accordingly,Wal-Mart at the top. Has the Mommy State morphed into the Police State, or is it a branch?
-- Russel Ready

YOU SAY PIRATE, I SAY PRIVATEER
Re: Roger Kaplan's Piracy Then and Now:

Piracy should be used to U.S. advantage.

The U.S. should refuse to be concerned about piracy of non-US ships.  Let them be taken, sunk, or used for scrap metal. Who cares?

Few ships are U.S. flagged. Instead shipping countries flag their ships in Liberia, Greece, Saudi Arabia, and other countries with lax safety requirements and low taxes.

However, if a U.S. flagged ship is taken, the ransom should be paid, the ship and crew made safe. Then massive retaliation against the pirates home base should be used. Level the place. Within a month or two, all kinds of companies would want to have US flagged ships. 

The British used to pay the Barbary Pirates to leave their ships alone. They loved seeing U.S. ships get taken. It improved British shipping’s bottom line. Let’s do the same now.
-- Bryan Dilts
Enola, Pennsylvania

HYPOCRITIC OATH
Re: Philip Klein's A Precarious Peace Offer:

The Palestinian Authority stating they want peace with Israel while they can’t control Hamas is similar to a doctor declaring a clean bill of health of a patient -- as long as the patient isn't concerned about the cancer.
-- Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York