Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this
postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to
mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.
RECEIVED Thu., April 1, 2010
Esteemed editor,
I looked up "belligerent" online. It did not mean what I thought. I thought to myself, “Self, you are an ignorant SOB”; no, I thought, “You need to look it up in your ’63 Funk & Wagnalls.” So, a synonym of "belligerent" is "bellicose," which I suspected. A synonym for "bellicose" is "pugnacious," and a synonym for "pugnacious" is "quarrelsome." Bingo! That is what I thought "belligerent" meant, because every time I’ve ever read it, it meant that in context.
Now, the U.S. government wants to put U.S. citizens into indefinite detention if deemed enemy belligerents. Many political commentators have sounded the alarm that this will, if passed, put the U.S. on the road to a military dictatorship.
The McCain/Lieberman Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010 will grant the president authority to arrest and indefinitely detain anyone, including a U.S. citizen, solely on suspicion he or she is affiliated with terrorism. This detention means: no proof, no trial, no lawyer, no means to defend oneself in court, no requirement to inform family where the person is being detained, possibly no release, ever.
Even if this bill does not pass, it is relevant that they plan to do it (eventually). But what they really plan to do is put U.S. citizens into indefinite detention for being quarrelsome, i.e., disagreeing with any government action, be it protest of a war or any blatant criminal behavior. And news-speak for indefinite detention means dead.
Yes, we all have to die anyway, some sooner than later. I would prefer to do so in my sleep when I’m an active and lucid 104-year-old. I pity the fool.
Pugnaciously,
Kenney Kennedy
RECEIVED Wed., March 31, 2010
Dear Editor,
As did the Romans when their empire began to fail, we too are outsourcing our military functions to mercenaries – oh yeah, contractors. I don't want my tax dollars to fund professional killers. Do you? Blackwater and the like must be defunded ASAP. If we can't fight our misbegotten wars without professional killers, let's just stop doing the wars.
Curt Vaughan
RECEIVED Wed., March 31, 2010
Louis Black,
Re: “
Page Two: Praying for an Early Death” [March 26]: Yeah, we get it. You are a shining beacon of altruism in the cynical sea of Austin music. You single-handedly saved the Austin music scene in 1987, and every time I go to Liberty Lunch or the Steamboat or the Cave Club, I say a little word of thanks. You steadfastly refuse to divulge financial particulars yet are so thin-skinned that you devote six-plus pages to defending all attacks – real or imagined – each year in increasingly hysterical manner. Personally, I don't really care if you are getting rich off South by Southwest or not. That's not the point. The point, Louis, is that the people of Austin made you, your paper, and the SXSW Music Festival. We do not owe you anything. You owe us. Quit acting like you made this town, because I was living here before the
Chronicle became the force of nature that it is now. As I recall, the music scene was
better then. Rent was cheaper, and gigs were easier to get before all these "entertainment services" booking-mafia assholes got here. So see, Louis? I'm allowed to complain because I went to SXSW when it was $10, and $15, and then $25. A wristband was worth the paper/plastic it was printed on and meant you got to see the band you wanted to see. See what a wristband will get you now for 10 times the money. I know, because I just got to listen to out-of-towners bitch about how worthless they were for getting into any shows. So do us all a favor and recuse yourself from the editorial pages for the duration of SXSW events. You'll do wonders for your blood pressure, and I won't have to read about how you saved Austin music and how we should all kiss your ass.
Aaron Shannon
[Louis Black responds: Please don't worry about my blood pressure – it's fine – and everywhere and every time there is an opportunity, we point out how SXSW emulates and reflects Austin and not the other way around.]
RECEIVED Tue., March 30, 2010
Dear Editor,
As the pervasive, interconnected systems they are, transport systems inevitably involve governments for planning, exercising eminent domain, and financing. They also impact society in various ways. Mr. Skaggs’ comments [“
You've Got Rail!,” News, March 26] concerning our new rail line only consider government financing of the Austin-Leander rail line. Out of context, these figures might seem excessive to some readers. However, when compared to the cost of relying on automobiles, it’s a great deal. Without going into detail on the impact of the auto, let’s consider 1) the hundreds of billions of dollars that go into our military budget to defend Middle Eastern auto fuel sources, 2) each month's (year in and year out) deaths from auto accidents in the U.S. roughly equal the number of deaths on 9/11, and 3) that auto-produced air pollution impacts the health of many. Given the weight of other options, I think spending on the Leander line was a good investment and hope additional projects extend our rail transport options.
Philip Russell
RECEIVED Tue., March 30, 2010
Dear Editor,
Re: “
Medicare and Social Security Passed Because of Republicans?” [“Postmarks” online, March 26]: Umm, Kevin Hall, you might want to practice what you preach. I know this is a difficult concept for conservatives, especially evangelical Christian conservatives. As for the "facts,” out of 140 Republicans, 70 (50%) voted in favor of Medicare.
Daniel Lea
RECEIVED Mon., March 29, 2010
Dear Editor,
Lee Nichols' “
Education Fight Heads to Lege” [“Naked City,” News, March 26] updates readers on the activist organization Texas Freedom Network's attempt to appeal the Texas State Board of Education's perceived conservative politicization to the Texas Legislature via the network's “Just Educate” petition. Fighting conservative politicization with liberal politicization is a zero sum game. Our history education has a more important problem I fear has been completely lost in bickering over minutiae: the importance of providing all of our history to our students.
I think of the conceptual triumvirate of American exceptionalism, the American dream, and manifest destiny (modern meaning) as the American ethos. (Wikipedia offers good write-ups on the three concepts.) Our history textbooks present history in a relentless monotonic American ethos drumbeat that has damaged the psyches of generations of Texas (and therefore all American) students, possibly irrevocably, and its ideological ground zero is the Texas State Board of Education.
When the American ethos message directly conflicts with the world that students actually see, a cognitive dissonance regarding their place within their own culture develops. They internalize the conflict and begin to subconsciously believe that those who don't achieve success must not be worthy of it. Self-esteem is eradicated, self-hatred begins, and these conditions are often lifelong without the student even knowing why.
Because there is no discussion of causes, effects, and lessons learned during history education, critical thinking skills don't develop. Because of this lack of critical-thinking skills, students who are lucky enough to eventually learn about the darker parts of our history (that our textbooks eliminate) often become ashamed of their own American heritage and distrustful of authority.
The time has come to change American history education for the better by presenting our students with both the good and bad in our history.
Mellissa Wright
RECEIVED Mon., March 29, 2010
Dear Editor,
The divine Sarah Palin’s theatre tour brings adoring audiences like the carnival carnie at her shooting gallery where the ducks line up to be shot at several hundred a pop. Come one, come all, overweight and undereducated retirees living on governments checks and Medicare, to denounce their very benefactors. See the Free-Dumb Freak Show, have a Cornyn Dog, ride the Republican Tilt-a-Tale! All the while, over the loudspeakers, hear the diva’s distinctive voice rising from a callous cackle to a salacious screech of perjured, paranoid pontification … comic book signing to follow. If you can’t make it to the carnival cow field, you can see it on TV every night with coverage and comment by commendable cable’s constant and continuing tabloid tradition of news noise funny, facetious, and forgettable.
John Callaghan
RECEIVED Mon., March 29, 2010
Dear Editor,
Re: “
Dewhurst the Critic” [Newsdesk blog, March 27]: Dewhurst is just condemning anti-Christian "hate speech." Which means he's not like a radical Muslim preacher but a liberal.
David Battle
RECEIVED Sat., March 27, 2010
Dear Editor,
Before the Air Force built a Wiccan temple but after the Salem witch trials, we already had our first witch squadron. Complete with the evil eye, nimbus brooms, and hellfire missiles from the sky, the U.S. Air Force calls 'em MQ-1 Predator drones. How do we fight religious extremism now? Science and freedom of religion; I love my secular country.
Thank you,
Mike Homa
RECEIVED Fri., March 26, 2010
Dear Editor,
Re: “
Isn't It Called Hypocrisy?” [“Postmarks” online, March 22]: Allen, you need to check your history. The programs you mention, Medicare and Social Security, were largely passed through Congress because of the Republicans. Larger percentages of Republicans voted for both of them than did the Democrats. No need for you to apologize, just get your facts straight next time.
Kevin Hall
[News Editor Michael King responds: According to the official Social Security histories available online (www.ssa.gov/history), the final version of the Social Security bill (Aug. 8, 1935) passed the House 372-33, with support from 89% of the Democrats, 79% of the Republicans. The Senate percentages were 87% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans.
On July 27, 1965, the House adopted the Medicare bill 307-116, with support of 81% of Democrats, 50% of Republicans. The next day the Senate passed the bill, 70-24, including 84% of Democrats, 41% of Republicans.
Of course these were very different parties than exist today, and the Republicans were not then committed to total obstruction, although they did fight the bills until the final votes, when many signed on. But in each instance, significantly higher numbers and percentages of Democrats supported the two bills.]
RECEIVED Thu., March 25, 2010
Dear Editor,
While Lamar Smith has gained power and prestige in Congress, Texas has become home to the highest number of uninsured children in America. Now that the law has passed that promises to remedy that situation by eliminating insurance company abuses, our representative pledges to take away our health care by working to repeal this law.
In our district alone, repealing this law would strip the opportunity of insurance from more than 25,000 of our uninsured children, more than 93,000 uninsured adults, and almost 2,000 uninsured seniors. Repealing this law would affect more than 75,000 young adults, one in four of which lives below the poverty level, who now qualify to stay on their parents' insurance policy instead of adding them to the pool of uninsured or government subsidized. Repealing this law would open back up the doughnut hole of prescription drug coverage for more than 83,000 of our seniors who are already on Medicare. Repealing this law would hurt more than 35% of our population of all ages and 95% of our seniors, almost 300,000 of our neighbors, who are either uninsured or are already on a government insurance program.
Is it only a coincidence that two of the top 10 industries contributing to Smith’s campaign are insurance and pharmaceuticals, contributing almost $330,000? He has turned his back on our 300,000 neighbors in need and has forgotten why he was sent to Capitol Hill. It is the people's house. It's time that he casts his vote in the interests of our community, and it's time that we cast our votes for true representation. Whether we agree or disagree on this legislation, you can be assured that I will always represent all the people of this district – not only the wealthy, but also the most vulnerable.
Lainey Melnick
Candidate for U.S. Congress
Texas 21st District
RECEIVED Thu., March 25, 2010
Dear Editor,
Another SXSW, and another year of metal music being snubbed. There was not even a smartass jab taken at the Texas Shamrockfest, which, by the way, was a great show! Metal, rock, and the Chronicle's beloved punk music were there. Hell, even one of the Music Poll winners, One-Eyed Doll, performed (they were awesome, by the way). There were plenty of people at this show. Yet not even a mention about it in the Chron. Thanks for keeping it a secret, guys. Oh, I forgot – Austin is not a rock town.
Thank you and good night.
Jack Pennington