HOLD YOUR TONGUE
Re: Hal G.P. Colebatch’s A Little Light in the South Pacific:
My Internet provider is American Family On-line. They’re pretty good, usually. Yesterday, I attempted to access your article on socialism in New Zealand. It was blocked because it contains the “f” word. I’ve submitted a request that they reconsider this stupid effort to protect me — a 53-year-old woman who has sole access to her computer. I pointed out how reputable your magazine is. They are not responding. I think their action is close to censorship. I like to support Christian enterprises, but this goes too far.
Or maybe you could avoid using dirty language on your website. Thanks.
— Desiree Effner
Gresham, Oregon
The Editor replies: The f-word in question did not appear in Mr. Colebatch’s article, but in several of the Comments reacting his piece. We’ve deleted them and will continue to delete all such foul efforts.
OUT THE WINDOW
Re: George H. Wittman’s Obama’s War:
Mr. Wittman, you either have not been paying attention for the past couple of years, or you’re expecting a level of consistency notably absent in Obama’s stylishly empty words.
I agree with you in all of your particulars about the danger for Obama of an Afghanistan-First strategy, but it appears that he was only stressing Afghanistan so he could attack Bush on Iraq as a central part of his (early) campaign plan.
Now that he’s been elected, all of that (stuff) will go out the window — in shimmering but obfuscating language, of course.
— A. C. Santore
Remember who carried out the 9/11 attacks and the idiot who claimed victory on a aircraft carrier and the other idiot who claimed that he knew how to get Bin laden. Oh dear!! How the horrible bearded one must be laughing as America has wasted trillions of dollars, had to socialise its bog companies losses and lost all respect in the civilised world thanks to the resident (for a short time more) idiot in the White House.
— Ken Bond
Australia
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE
Re: Peter G. Riddell’s False Hopes Spring Eternal:
I loved it. My own pastor for fifteen months now, a fine young man whose preaching I have never faulted, blew we away with an article in the local, liberal rag about his hopes reborn when he went to Chicago for the election evening soiree. Aargh!
But Sarah said it was the will of God. And she, bless her heart, is right. (Mr./Ms. editor:
You can’t possible publish this, I know. But here goes.) The Bible that we Catholics, Protestants, and Atheists (to defame) read spells out the whole libretto.
Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage….” He, too, was right. At the movie we don’t want to know how it ends. At the theater, or the opera, we know how it ends and still enjoy the show. In the Bible we also know how it ends: frightful, and glorious. And we, with false hopes or true, are living out the show. And maybe it’s about over. Please, please, please see fulfilled prophecy.com.
— Robert Pottinger
Excellent article with very correct perspective and predictions. Obama presidency will bring more hatred from Muslim world. Their dream will be shattered immediately after they find that Israel is still not wiped out from the face of Arabia by Obama, if not from the face of the earth, as the Iranian president wishes to accomplish. Thanks.
— KAC
HOW THE WEST WAS LOST
Re: Bill Croke’s The New Landlord:
To the “conservative” talking heads that are fast becoming liberal patsies in undercutting the GOP and alienating sensible moderates, the West is nothing more than fly-over country. Instead of gearing up for the fight against a resurgent left they’re still bloviating and spewing anti-Bush and Republican rhetoric all to the benefit of the Obamanation. Even worse are the turncoats like Bruce Bartlett, Chris Buckley and the loathsome Obamacons who believe selling out is the way to advance their pathetic careers and bastardized version of “Reaganism.” Of course, if they’re proven wrong they’ll be welcomed back into the “conservative” fold like the toxic Pat Buchanan.
To save the West and the nation from the neo-fascists of the Democrat party we must target them, and not the Republican Party or moderates who get jittery and abandon sensible positions, when we’re infighting and devouring the one group that stands between us and the shredding of our Constitution and liberties, Republican politicians. If we don’t want them (Republicans) to be “paper tigers” maybe it’s time conservative media quit acting as ringmasters for the left and got back to Reagan’s big tent where an 80% friend was better than a disingenuous Democrat all the time.
— Michael Tomlinson
Camp Habbaniyah, Iraq
The road to hell is paved with good intentions — but thank God (Obama?) that the road will only tolerate environmentally friendly mass transit vehicles.
— Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York
Get real. Bill Croke’s idle speculation on possible Obama administration policies is meaningless, just a litany of the standard complaints of those who would would not support any protection for Western lands. The so-called sagebrush rebellion was financed by extractive industries for their profit at the expense of public land. How about some perspective on this issue?
— Mark Saunto & Vicki Wren
Utah
RULES OF THE GAME
Re: Christopher Orlet’s Refighting the Culture War:
Republicans lost the presidential election partly because they sought the impossible: equitable treatment by liberal-controlled mainstream media, “debates,” academia, late-night TV, etc. Why?
Beginning in 2010, Republicans should:
Insist that half the debates be moderated by conservative talk radio/TV hosts who would ask uncomfortable questions of both sides.
Exclusively use the Web for fundraising, press releases, etc., citing bias of the mainstream media as the reason. (First, hire Web security experts to prevent site hacking by Dems with more technical expertise than ethics.)
Cease running village elder candidates against relatively youthful Democrats reminiscent of JFK.
Learn to fight mano-a-mano, for crissake. If that means adopting the panoply of repulsive tactics used by Democrats, so be it.
Though they don’t seem to realize it, Republicans are in a culture war, with emphasis on the latter.
— David Govett
Davis, California
THE MOST PC TIME OF THE YEAR
Re: Faith J.H. McDonnell’s What Would Santa Do?:
Here we go again, with Christmas being a vast right-wing religious conspiracy contrived by Karl Rove. About this time of year Americans get bombarded by all forms of media and advertisement that the season of Christmas is not inclusive of other religions and customs, atheists, non-believers, lesser Imps and Demons, and last but not least the Devil himself.
Heaven forbid if we exclude, “Old Nick” from this year’s office party. Having been afforded the ability to travel around the Earth more than once and observe many countries Christmas customs, Americans are the only ones who get after many years of celebrating this joyous holiday now openly doubt the magic of Christmas.
Self-discouraging atheists have taken upon themselves to embark on a litigious Jihad to completely exterminate all religious references to include, Christmas trees, cards, decorations, and department store employees dressed up as elves.
Just walk into any American department store during the Christmas season. Many customers and the department store employees are about as joyous as an elf with a ingrown toenail.
Many offices private and governmental no longer allow employees to openly display anything with a Christmas theme out of fear of offending someone or being bankrupted by a lawsuit.
Home owners who display the nativity scene in their front yards often wake up to find their displays or Christmas lighting vandalized or worse being brought before the local homeowners association for violating the rules.
America! We must stop this absurd silliness at once. The spirit of Christmas isn’t offending, we are the ones who are doing the offending. Christmas means many things to many people all over the world.
For those who are so enamored with the notion that Christmas is strictly a Christian holiday and wish its destruction, you cannot be more further from the true meaning of Christmas. You see… The spirit of Christmas resides within the heart of each and every one of us, it has its own special meaning irregardless of who we are and our religion.
Christmas is memories of past and future, Christmas is being with mom and dad who are no longer with us, Christmas is putting a few coins in the Salvation Army bell ringers bucket and hoping that it will help someone, Christmas is being outside in the cool crisp winters night standing their by yourself and watching the twinkle lights sparkle in the neighbors yards, and Christmas is seeing a son and his family in whom you have not seen in a year.
So please America, I beseech you to go out and celebrate Christmas in whatever fashion you choose that brings joy to your heart and in some small way bring, “Peace on Earth and goodwill to men.”
— Melvin Leppla
Jacksonville, North Carolina
A related question is: What would Saturday Night Live do now that the election is over. Saturday’s show suggested an answer: return to offensive mediocrity.
Naturally, people like to know which shows are Can’t-Miss TV. Also helpful is to know is which shows are Must-Miss TV. Qualifying: SNL.
A measure of how bad the show was is that the lame and humorless routine by Justin Timberlake in which he attempted a run-through of an entire proposed show was not any less funny or entertaining than the entire show.
Almost all the skits had homosexuality as a text or subtext. They weren’t gay.
One “gag” gagged: a comedy routine about suicide where the snappy ending was the suicide.
The awful Beyonce Knowles had dancers that in the first instance were Giganta Fey. And then dancers who were actual females, apparently because heterosexual dancing with her seemed not to fit the show.
Appropriately, one of the NBC ads was for an upcoming Rosie O’Donnell special. Those who think an ad for such a show could not be attractive would be correct.
Those who think there might be hope for SNL would be incorrect.
— Richard L.A. Schaefer
Dubuque, Iowa
FAIR GAME
Re: Eric Heidenreich’s In Praise of PETA:
I am a member of PETA and I agree that in this case, there was not choice but to kill the bear. I hope the man recovers. But I also understand that sometimes people like me that see all the mistreatment that the animals receive, can get really angry, and confused the guilty from the innocent.
For that I apologize.
But still hope and work for one day have a world with a fair protection to the animals.
— Patty Milla
WAG THE DOG
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.’s Vitality in the Wilderness:
Longshoreman philosopher Eric Hoffer had this notion of liberal and conservative figured out fairly well: You’re a conservative when you want to keep something, you are a liberal when you want something. Taking this formulation one just has to ask two serious questions of others in order to get a sense of what the argument may be all about.
As to homosexual marriage: Why do these people try to “mimic” heterosexual people? And if one really examines what is the resultant of homosexual behavior, the extinction of the species due to non procreation — gays can’t procreate by definition (yea, I know, they depend on science or others to do the “nasty” work), isn’t it possible that deep within our psyche we know and understand this reality? That is why we reject it.
The old argument comes back again: Does the dog wag its tail, or does the tail wag the dog? Dr. Freud can you explain for us your notion of the hysterical character.
— Robert Philips
Corrales, New Mexico
BIRTH MARKS
Since the election I have been troubled by a growing number of individuals who have filed lawsuits challenging the eligibility of Barack Obama and in some cases John McCain. I initially saw these as fringe elements dissatisfied with the election results, but as I’ve looked into the facts of the cases and seen how two have preceded to their current state at the U.S. Supreme Court I am growing alarmed about a potential Constitutional crisis.
The lack of media coverage has been alarming as well as the lack of a simple response on the part of Senator Obama to quell this problem. If someone like yourself with a well-known and established credibility would accurately portray these cases for what they are — the dissatisfied efforts of fringe individuals or something more credible it would go a long way to preventing a last minute explosion of alarm and distrust among the electorate.
Please consider investigating these cases and presenting your thoughts about them. I have found the most concise description of the pertinent facts to be those, not in the two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, but rather paragraphs 80 to 83 in the Petition for Writ of Mandate filed by Ambassador Alan Keyes in that State of California.
I hope that you will consider looking into these cases and being one of the first members of the media to let the public know the truth about them.
— Mark Fisher
