The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Gettin' Your Irish Up

3.18.09 @ 6:01AM

IF YOU'RE IRISH AND YOU KNOW IT
Re: James M. Thunder's St. Patrick for Adults and G. Tracy Mehan, III's The Solitude of St. Patrick :

Lá Fheile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!

May Messrs. Thunder's and Mehan's stirring tributes to St. Patrick, a true giant of the Western world, be that desperately needed germ which brings even only a few Irish Catholics, preferably politicians, to the acknowledgment that claiming the mantle of the Celtic culture and faith, while living and legislating more like the pagans whom Patrick saved, is gross fraudulence. Speaking of which, Mr. Thunder's quoting of John F. Kennedy in concluding his otherwise exquisite piece is ironic in the extreme.
-- Francis M. Hannon, Jr.
Melrose, Massachusetts, by way of Counties Galway and Cava

A CONFESSION
Re: Jeffrey Lord's Mr. Frum's Cult:

Forgive me Fathers Hillyer and Tyrrell,

For I have sinned. It was unknowing. It looked innocent enough. An email by virtue of some Republican donor list to join the "New Majority." I ventured forth with eyes open, expecting my flanks to be covered by know allies, or at least brethren of similar families. It was only for a few weeks, and even then, only an hour or two of actual browsing and commentary.

Once the Newsweak announcement was made, I knew I had been betrayed. I looked in vain for any avenue to cancel my login & password. Finding none, I feared they had me. I merely ran out, leaving a note vowing never to return.

I seek forgiveness, and shelter here, for now I know, and will never stray again.
-- P. Aaron Jones
Michigan

A couple of points:

1)  There is no Center of the Known Universe. Any point is as good as any other. (You can ascertain this by consulting Jorge Luis Borges' story, "The Library of Babel").

2)  Take the center of the Milky Way Galaxy as the center of the known universe, for practical purposes. What is at the Center?  Of course, a Black Hole.

Mr. Lord's assumption that one can exit the Center is becoming less and less true, as Washington progressively (pun intended) develops the characteristics, from a standpoint of economic and political power, of a Black Hole, with no exit possible once one crosses the event threshold (Beltway). Mr. Lord is right -- the best strategy is to stay as far away from Washington as possible, to avoid the danger of irreversibly being sucked into the Hole. Or for Mr. Frum -- get out while it's still possible.
-- Kent Lyon
 College Station, Texas

STAY OUT OF THE WAY
Re: Joseph Lawler's Overcoming Aid:

1. If I saw someone in immediate danger and acted blindly, I would unquestionably heighten dangers by taking action that directly causes interference with the professional and proper execution of trained and paid life savers. For instance, my jumping into the ocean to save a distressed swimmer might well create greater jeopardy to all who are trained in water safety and rescue.

Letter to the Editor