The American Spectator

Reader Mail

RIP
Re: Wlady Pleszczynski, Shawn Macomber, Jeff Jacoby, Jeremy Lott & W. James Antle, III's Lawrence Henry, 1948-2009:

I was sad to hear of Mr. Henry's passing. Sad, but not surprised, because Mr. Henry wrote with an openness and honesty that few master. He wrote often of his disease, never sugar-coating it, but at the same time was never self-pitying. His columns are an able guide of how to face our mortality with dignity and determination, balanced by an urgency to never waste today. I have enjoyed his writings for TAS over the years, especially the ones about golf, and I will miss his insights. Of course, he was a wise enough man to write them down, and I am certain they will still be cogent a century from now. To his family I offer my condolences, and I want them to know that he meant something to me. May he rest in peace.
-- Andrew J. Macfadyen. M.D. 
Omaha, Nebraska

Massachusetts somehow seemed more tolerable with Larry Henry among us. I never did get to meet him (although he came within an ace of attending our Kentucky Derby party the year Barbaro won), but he was my friend. His "Praise Music Flunks" essay is a classic. As a pianist with ready access to the piano bench at my church, I've left a copy for the "reading pleasure" of the worship team members.  Prayers especially to Sally, Bud, and Joe.
-- Jay Swiatek
Mansfield, Massachusetts

I am so saddened to learn of Lawrence Henry's passing. His writing touched my heart in many ways, and so many times. A pure, innocent, honest, authentic, grateful, and joyful character, mixed with sober reflection on the struggle of holding firm to faith in the face of debilitating physical weakness. How often was I reminded of my blessings in Christ while reading his contributions to TAS. What an inspiring spirit! You made it, Mr. Henry, you made it!
-- Mike Showalter
   Austin, Texas 

As a retired veteran of the music business who managed to make a few bucks with my vintage Chet Atkins guitar, along with 30 plus years behind the microphone as a radio disc jockey spinnin' them golden platters, I'm sorry to say I never had the chance to read Larry Henry's "Rock and Roll Songwriters Handbook." Having sketched-out more than my share of cheesy hook-lines, I have a feeling some of Larry's writings might have pushed me beyond Moon, June and...nouns rhyming with Spoon.

I never met the fellow, but judging from the theme of Larry's Song Writer's Handbook...he was probably one of those deeper thinker-types who no doubt appreciated a well conceived lyric. I suspect, too, that he might have nodded in agreement with the prophetic imagery behind Dion's Abraham, Martin and John, the first time he heard the line... "sometimes the good they die young."

Maybe it's just me spending too much time around the hourglass, but sometimes a great lyric is a damn shame.
-- Dave
Sacramento, California

I just found out about the death of Lawrence Henry on the website. I read him quite often myself. These are good remembrances about him -- that is a fine tribute all of you put together.
-- Pete Chagnon

Kierkegaard wrote about a perfect man of faith, Abraham; someone who saw "virtue of the absurd." When tested beyond belief Abraham had full faith in the Lord; he did not lose faith when asked to sacrifice his only son. Likewise Mr. Henry did not lose faith when tested for years by grave illness.

Kierkegaard wrote:

Fools and young men prate about everything being possible for a man. That, however, is a great error. Spiritually speaking, everything is possible, but in this world of the finite there is much which is not possible. This impossible, the knight [of faith] makes possible by expressing it spiritually, but he expresses it spiritually by waiving claim to it.

Mr. Henry kept a brave face in all is his TAS writings, never whining about his illness and never wishing or praying it away. His strength and faith were an inspiration.

Good knight of faith, well met and good night.

As is said the Jewish tradition, may your memory always be a blessing.
-- Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York

BARRY CAN'T APE ABE
Re: George Neumayr's Steroids, Stimulus, and Lincoln:

Obama and his legacy of old-style Illinois politics is perhaps a suitable president for the country's current culture, which can best be described as "the Pits." His continued smoking and admitted drug fog at Columbia University qualify him, I guess, to lead the Democrat Party, which is "drunk" with power. I guess this is progress or maybe retrogression. Clinton was a true son of the South, smart and capable with the morals of an alley cat and crooked as a witch's bloom with a wife to match. Obama often appears dumb as a stick with the morals of the Rev Wright. Progress or something else? I don't know.
-- Jack Wheatley
Royal Oak, Michigan

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I'd say that given the Porkulus monstrosity’s partisan passage -- and I do include RINO traitors Collins, Snowe and Specter -- there’s nothing "soft" about the tyranny that Obama and his party now practice.

In fact, now that Obama and his political tribe have won this initial rushed-to-passage, non-examined partisan legislation, I'd also say that the road to dictatorial control, and thus ruin, of America lies squarely in the hands of Obama, Reid and Pelosi for at least the next two years.

Wonder what Abraham Lincoln would think of that and those who masqueraded as Republicans but betrayed their country?
-- C. Kenna Amos
Princeton, West Virginia

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There is one striking similarity between The Messiah and Honest Abe. Lincoln trampled on the U. S. Constitution with impunity. (Suspending Habeas Corpus, imprisoning and deporting political enemies, etc.) In that area, Chairman Zero is following exactly in his footsteps.
-- Keith K.

CARS, CARS, EVERYWHERE
Re: Eric Peters's Too Many Cars, Not Enough Market :

Eric is raising an important issue...I would ask him, 'How many total vehicles are there in the USA?' My estimate is in the hundreds of millions...more than the total number of licensed drivers....How can we absorb 10-20 million more vehicles on our streets every year?
-- Carol Baker
Ft.Worth, Texas

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THEY WOULD IF THEY CUD
Re: R. Andrew Newman's Ice-Cold Cows:

What the bovine were probable thinking was, "Isn't it about time to return to the barn and slip into a warm Jersey?"
-- Stephen B. Manning
Houston, Texas

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SERMONIER AND SERMONIER
Re: Mark Tooley's A Real "Economic" Recovery:

As always, Mr. Mark Tooley delivers a cogent, insightful assessment of contemporary society within (and without) the Christian Church, through the God-given worldview of the Bible. My thanks to him. Economic 'recovery,' eh? Here's the Christian perspective: "You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He Who gives you the power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers..." (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Mr. Tooley also confirms my suspicions of ungodliness about the so-called "emergent" fad in general and Brian McLaren in particular.

Mr. Tooley's evidence shows that McLaren preaches yet 'another gospel' retread -- same old, tired, 'progressive' good works shtick. Ever since the Garden the wicked (whether pseudo-Christian or secular) have substituted man's works for Christ's, man's 'laws' for God's.

Mr. McLaren, as quoted by Mr. Tooley, in purporting to describe 'christian' understanding of life makes NO:

1) confession that Jesus is Lord and God come in the flesh (Romans 10:9; I John 4:2-3, 15);
2) submission to God's holy Law as the norm for man's behavior (I John 5:2-3; John 15:10-14);
3) admission that natural man stands at enmity against God due to sin ("the transgression of the Law", I John 3:4) both original and personal, in which man is "dead" (Genesis 2:16-17; Ephesians 2:1-3);
4) recognition that God must and freely does pardon a man's sin in order to effect reconciliation between God and that man (Psalm 51; II Corinthians 5:18)
5) confession that only by His sovereign and free grace does God pardon any man's sin, and only through His only begotten Son Christ Jesus and His blood (John 6:44, 65; 10:1-10; 14:6; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 2:4-10; I John 1:7);
6) apology for effectively adding to God's Word humanistic Leftist junk that's not God's Word -- for which addition God rebukes a man, calls him a liar, and visits upon him apocalyptic damnation (Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18).

1-5 above are the Good News, the "gospel" of Christ, of His Person and work -- i.e., "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Item 6 demonstrates a basic human habit -- adding an 'extra,' human gloss to God's commands (cf. Genesis 3:3) -- and the terrible danger that habit poses. Anathema to the so-called 'emergent church' and its 'other gospel.' As they point to the Obamassiah as if he were a christ, they vindicate the truth of our Lord's warning (Matthew 24:23-26).

God bless you Mr. Tooley; thanks for your 'ministry of information' for us all.
-- Dave Hanson
Fayette, Iowa

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FAILURE IS YOUR BEST OPTION
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Wall Street Imbecility:

When the illusion of rock-solid-guarantee exists, i.e, Fannie, Freddie, everyone knows it's a guarantee of something much better than solvency. It's a guarantee of a bailout when things go wrong. No surprise that standards slide under increasing corporate welfare. The financial sector was bound to be covered no matter what, like the airlines and Amtrak. "Too big to fail" means if you're gonna go into debt, go BIG, baby. Small-fry-failures are nobodys.

It's in media, culture. Acting career on the fizz? Get hooked on drugs, make a public ass of yourself, and get your toxic asset bailed out on Oprah, where emotional indulgence testifies in cultural bankruptcy court.
-- Scott Horn
Akron, Ohio

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IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Re: Peter Ferrara's Obama's Failed and Tired Ideas From the Past:

Yes we need a new president but I am afraid we are stuck with the one we have; we will suffer at his hand tremendously and it will take 20 or 30 years to undo what he has already done in less then one month to our economy. They have an agenda and that is to make government more powerful to intrude into our daily lives. It is not about making the economy good -- it is about doing what is needed to get us all in a position where we don't have any recourse but to submit. We are doomed to fight this for the next 30 years -- it will take 8 years just get rid of some of the communist policies that will be ingrained with this administration.
-- Ken Roberts

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Too bad Obama can’t revert to his old habits and merely vote "present" instead of signing this quagmire of an unbridled spending bill. I hope this partisan mistake becomes an albatross around the necks of everyone who supported it, and I hope the productive elements of our country band together to revive our economy in spite of this $878 billion albatross.
-- Bill Attinger
Carlsbad, California

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IT'S THE SLAVE ECONOMY, STUPID
Re: Matthew Kenefick's Shades of Gray:

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln set forth what the war was about for him. It was a test to determine whether government of the people, by the people, and for the people would survive. If our nation is divided, then our attempt at preserving such a government has failed. A major goal of the internationalists is to weaken the power of national governments.

My family settled in Middle Georgia around 1800. My great-grandfather lost an eye to a Yankee bullet, and was a founding member of the KKK. But I agree with Peter Marshall's reading of the Civil War. For the South, it was about slavery. Their whole way of life depended on it. For Lincoln it was about preserving the Union. Lincoln said, "If I could abolish slavery and save the Union, I would do it; if I could legalize slavery and save the Union, I would do it; if I could abolish slavery in some states and legalize it in others, and thereby save the Union, I would do that."

Lincoln was very careful not to violate the Constitution, because that would give the South a justification. He said, "I could not abolish slavery, even if I wanted to;" and "Unless the South attacks me, I am powerless to act against them." The South did not cite the Declaration of Independence as justification for secession, because they knew Lincoln would claim the same rights for Blacks. Neither did they cite States Rights. That argument appeared after the War. Before the War, Southerners announced that if a "Black Republican" (a Republican who opposed slavery) was elected President, they would secede. Lincoln's duly executed democratic election was the proximate cause of the war.
-- DuPree Moore

WE'LL ALL BE RICH WHEN THE STIMULUS HITS
Re: Joseph Lawler's The Bigger Dig:

So one dollar spent by the government magically becomes $2.50 because of the "multiplier effect"?

Reminds me of the story of two drunks, walking down the road. One has a big jug of wine, the other a dollar bill. And when one gets thirsty, he hands the dollar to the other and gets the jug in return. And on they go, swapping the jug and the dollar back and forth, telling each other "won't we be rich when we wake up!"
-- Martin Owens
Sacramento, California