(November 7, 2011)
[Please include your first and last names, and your city and state of residence. Thank you.] Lives Shortened in Wide Ways To the Editor: "And my class isn't just winning, I mean we're killing them." --Warren Buffett The lives of how many people throughout the United States are being shortened at this time, what are the ways in which this is being accomplished, what are the names of the people who are carrying this out? The intention to kill does kill, eventually. Sincerely yours, Leland Mellott Mount Vernon, Washington, USA - October 24, 2011 ********** Debased and Deformed "Democracy": Joel Hirschhorn's Awful Reasons Why Obama Could Get Reelected To the Editor: I have, for some time, followed Joel Hirschhorn's publications and articles because I find his clarity, cogency, and common sense to be instructive and refreshing. I have not always been in total agreement with views expressed but, in this article, I am in complete accord. Democracy is always mentioned in hallowed terms and is presented as the ideal towards which all societies should strive since, it is claimed, it is the very essence of Freedom. Sir Winston Churchill declared democracy to be ".... the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." His father, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill, had earlier (1884) exhorted politicians to ".... trust the people, and they will trust you......they will follow you and join you ...... against any and every foe." In truth, today's democracy cannot function even as the "worst form" that Winston Churchill described. It cannot because there has been a singular loss of trust. Trust was specified by Churchill's father as the very essence of the democratic process. Politicians have lost the trust of the people. Public Institutions have lost the trust of the people. "Democracy" has become debased and deformed such that the elected representatives now, openly, disregard the will of the people. The representatives of the people now form an oligarchy with no moral, or social, commitment to those who elected them. Corruption, at the very base of all political and economic social organisations, has supplanted any vestige of decency, honesty, and trust. The abandonment of participation in the corrupt and tainted charade that "Democracy" has now become is the only way in which the disregarded citizens can express their outrage. I must congratulate Joel Hirschhorn for his article and to you for the publication of the same. Sincerely, Graham Harris Limousin, France - November 4, 2011 ********** Violence in Perspective: Gilles d'Aymery's Ongoing Violence To the Editor: The estimate of deaths and casualties during World War I is about 35 million. The world population was less than 2 billion at the time. The estimate of deaths and casualties during World War II is between 50 and 70 million. The world population was less than 3 billion at the time. Today, the world population has passed the 7 billion mark. The estimate of deaths and casualties in the unnecessary war in Iraq ranges from 100,000 to over one million. While Americans suffered close to 420,000 dead during WWII, only -- and sadly -- about 4,500 service men and women met their maker in the 8-year Iraq war. While maybe 30 or 50,000 Libyans lost their lives in their recent civil war the number pales in comparison with the 1.5 million dead during the Algerian war of independence. Add the over 4 million deaths in the Congo for struggles over natural resources, and it still amounts to almost a drop in the bucket. Stay away from TV, social media, and the Internet. Violence may sell ads but that's about it. Violence has been on the wane for many decades. If the Pentagon and its political handlers wanted so, we could destroy half the population of the world in minutes. We do not. Let's please keep things in perspective. Regards, Darrell Johnson Tempe, Arizona, USA - October 30, 2011 ********** Past and Future of Bread: Gilles d'Aymery's Yiddishkeit: Fun Dor Tsu Dor Hey Monsieur d'Aymery, Indeed, Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular & the New Land was worthy of my meager wallet. It brought to my attention a Jewish history that is rarely taught in the main stream. But, I wonder, why do we need history when the present is falling apart so fast? Soon enough we won't be able to afford a loaf a bread -- this in the country of baguette and camembert. Even the baguette is rancie in Sarkowland. Perhaps we could have, to create jobs, new boulangeries kosher... But, trêve de plaisanteries, the eurozone est dans la mouise and noboby knows how to fix the s*** we are in. You noted that Yiddish had over 100 words for imbeciles. Could they come up with 10 or 20 more words? In short, we borrow money that we do not have to lend it to a country that will never pay it back. And if you think that Greece is problematic, wait until the next shoe falls. Italy, with her 1.9 trillion euros in public debt (120% of GDP), will have to issue new bonds in the amount of 600 billion euros over the next three years just to refinance her maturing debt. Here goes the European Financial Stability Facility! Greece is collapsing... Berlusconi has become a blind buffoon... If the eurozone fails you can kiss goodbye to Europe. To add to the fun the French Socialists want to hire 60,000 new bureaucrats, which will be paid with money that we do not have... Then again, France has had a yearly budgetary deficit ever since 1974... We are cooked! Question: Are we facing a "Fourth Turning"? Allez, bon vent! Alouette Arouet Paris, France - October 31, 2011 ********** We appreciate and welcome your comments. 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