Sound Off!: February 2006

Monday, February 27, 2006

Free Speech

Mr. Rutherford:

Although I do not always agree with some of your positions, I do admire what you and the Rutherford Institute have done and are doing to help preserve our freedoms.

However, this Sunday's column by George Will has re-focused my attention on several subjects that I believe are very worthy of discussion by both your institution and others devoted to free expression in our country.

I believe that the greatest threat facing us now is the tyranny of "political correctness" that has swept our academic institutions and is now engulfing the corporate world and the rest of our culture. I refer specifically to the so-called campus speech codes that abridge the right of free expression that exist supposedly to protect the right of certain preferred groups from being offended.

Along the same lines are the so-called "hate crime" laws. As Will points out, these laws criminalize or stigmatize people for crimes committed with certain states of mind. In effect, they are "thought control" crimes. I recall how we ridiculed the Japanese prior to Pearl Harbor for having a Thought Control police. Now, such enforcement and control is apparently very acceptable. Everyone promotes the mantra of diversity, but where is the political diversity on our campuses?

These are just a few of what I consider to be the more egregious and insidious examples of the tyranny that have overwhelmed all of our institutions these days, and especially the press. But, except for a few isolated and lonely voices speaking up, the silence of opposition seems to be deafening.

Sincerely,

Richard N.

Difficult To Read

Subject: To Torture or Not To Torture?

Thank you for witing this article, difficult to read though it was. What astonishes me is that most of the vile practices you describe are already common knowledge to anyone who reads or watches television yet there is no sense of outrage or disgust detectable in most or our fellow countrymen.

I travel frequently and one of the observations that people have made to me in several countries recently is the similarity of the US in the first decade of 2000 to Germany in the 1930s. If I were to make this observation here in Virginia, I would be labelled at best an exaggerator and at worst an extremist. What has happened to us that state sanctioned torture, kidnapping of Iraqi women related to possible suspects, murder and illegal and indefinite imprisonment are now considered normal and necessary, while any questioning of these activities is unpatriotic and extreme?

Something is very rotten in the state of America.

Sincerely,
William H.

Death Penalty

To: John Whitehead

Your Institute seems to help Christians in their fight for religious freedom. Also, you seem, based upon what I have read on your website, to be a Conservative. Therefore, I totally disagree with you on any moratorium on the death penalty. As a Christian I can only quote the Scripture to back up my support for the death penalty. Obviously in Genesis it states that man shall lose his life if he takes another life - Genesis Chapter 9 verse 6. There are also other verses in Holy Scripture.

Probably however, on most other matters I would agree with you. Murder is a sin in the Lord's eyes and should be punished by execution.

Thank you and Blessings
Sharon R.

Classic Western Movies

Subject: Western Movies: The Values We Die By

I don't know how you can mention "awards being heaped on 'Brokeback Mountain' it seems that the western flick might be making a comeback." and then go on to talk about these other fine films as if they're similar. Regardless of its awards, I haven't seen 'Brokeback Mountain' and I don't plan to see it, so I guess I can't compare it to some of the classic westerns you featured. No doubt though 'Brokeback Mountain' will win the Academy Award for Best Picture because of the politics of the Hollywood entertainment industry. And "North Country", which features a woman who kept and raised her son even though she was raped, wasn't even nominated for the same reason.

But I like your radio spots.

Neil in CT

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Unless You Have Something To Hide...

The only people that should care if the government is spying on you are the ones that have something to hide. I feel better knowing that they are doing something for my safety. So shut UP about the spying!!!- UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE!! Be glad that something is being done. How many people go to watch "spy" movies for entertainment and think it is so cool?? And now you want to complain???? When one of those suspected terrorists actually commits a crime and the people find out the government knew they were "suspected", but didn't do anything about it because their hands were tied - will that change their mind???? What is going to take????

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Time To Start Doing Things Ourselves

Everyone is arguing about if we should let the foreign Arab countries run US ports. Especially countries involved in the 9-11 hijackings. I have a radical idea. Why don't we let United States companies run our own ports. Maybe it's time to start doing things ourselves rather than rely on the Muslims and the Communist Chinese to take care of us. These kind of decisions makes it seem as if America is deliberately trying to destroy itself.

Marc P.

Monday, February 20, 2006

A Real Cowboy At Heart

Subject: Western Movies: The Values We Die By

HEY, I KNEW YOU WERE A REAL COWBOY AT HEART!!!!!!!
FROM AN 80 YEAR OLD GRANNIE WHO GREW UP ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON WESTERNS, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND MAY THE LORD'S BLESSING CONTINUE TO BE WITH YOU

L.A.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Perhaps We Should Impeach The President of NRI

The position that the NRI president has taken concerning the NSA wiretaps is ludicrous. I am a U.S. Army veteran with 29 years of service. My job was to defend “against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Imagine the intelligence services being told in World War II that they could not listen to enemy communications from ships or submarines off shore without obtaining a warrant first from FISA! We are engaged in combat against a very real, very serious, very committed enemy. Those that oppose the wiretaps have lost perspective of what this is really all about. This includes the NRI president.

Even the letter the president wrote is full of baloney. He states that the administration claims that they can disregard the law and conduct wiretapping. The administration has claimed no such thing. The administrations position, and the majority of the American public agrees, is that the President is well within his authority as commander in chief, and that the Constitution supports him.

Paul P.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Why the interest now?

Subject: The Secret Police and Political Dissent

Your article was forwarded to me by a friend. I enjoyed reading it.

One question comes to mind.

Political dissidents have been corralled since the days of Joseph Goebbels inventing "free speech" areas to those in opposition to Mr. Hitler and he most likely learned it from history. In recent political history there are numerous examples of this conduct in Mr.'s Clinton, H.W. Bush, Reagan, Carter administrations. Why the interest now?

W. Cox

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Nothing To Hide

I don't agree that the current wiretapping is bad, or illegal and therefore a crime. I think it is very necessary for the protection of the United States in our struggle with terorism. However, if there are limits put on by congress, it should be that domestic wiretapping; point to point inside the U.S. borders should be banned. As long as it concerns calls from outside the U.S. borders into the United States, I don't think it is a big concern, especially if it from suspected terrorists to persons inside the U.S. Perhaps in this situation we could compromise by requiring that a warrant be obtained within 72 hours of initiating the 'tap'. But this would compromise the secrecy necessary to cary out the mission, should there be iminent danger discovered during a tap. In times of war the U.S. has always allowed secret 'eavesdropping of some kind, for our collective protection. I do see where strict limits are needed to prevent an excuse for expanding the process beyond certain parameters. I realize that a widespread abuse of our rights could occur. I really don't have a problem with someone tapping my phone however. I have nothing to hide except to prevent identity theft. Keep up the good work.

Dennis M.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Shut Up and Sit Down

Somebody tell that failed ex-pres to shut up and sit down. And how very rude of him today at the funeral!

Thanks...
Kathi B.

History Repeating Itself

Are you still not getting that sinking feeling? "The time is out of joint" and "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"; vis-a- vis the U.S.?

Anno Domini MMVI

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Welcome Wagons at the Border

Subject: TRI President Voices Concern Over NSA Surveillance Authority

I do not support your insanity in any way. If you had your way we would have welcome wagon at the border and booths around the world telling the world "come destroy us, we will play by civilized rules while you murder us in our sleep and political correctness." This is self destruction and insanity and treasonous. The President is right, you are wrong. Every past President has done the same. You and the senators and congressmen who leak security secrets should be arrested, hauled off to jail, held for trial, and upon conviction be executed or jailed for life at hard, hard labor. In fact you and the liberal congress would have had that done to them only 50-60 ago.

Romney D.

Can You Raise Your Right Hand?

Is it not ironic that we American citizens must raise our right hand and swear under oath when we enter Military Service, when we appear before a Traffic Judge, when we are a witness in a trial, or when we are sworn in for jury duty? Is taking the oath of law not the "rule of law" or enforcing the law in this Nation? How come our U.S. Senate protectors exempt from this law practice or procedure?

I could not believe that our Republican dominated U.S. Senate would not require Attorney General Gonzalas to take the oath of law to tell the truth in regard to his testimony in regard to the Senate surveillance hearing today. I also have not forgotten that the oil corporation barons who had testified before another U.S. Senate were not required to take an oath regarding their testimony. From my perspective viewpoint, this Surveillance Senate hearing will have no credibility at all. Credibility can only be achieved by each witness taking the oath of office with no exceptions.

Should George Bush have an impeachment hearing at some later date, it is inconceivable that today's testimony evidence by Attorney General Gonzalas would not be permitted in any court of law or used in any other case proceeding because HE DID NOT TAKE THE OATH OF LAW. All Gonzalas would need to do is say: "Oh I was just kidding when I said that or I forgot because I did not have my notes with me etc." Did not the Republicans in the U.S. Senate forget that Gonzalas had previously lied in regard to the torturing of prisoners Senate probe not to long ago?

It is therefore inconceivable that the Republicans in our U.S. Congress are not protecting our U.S. citizens that they represent or our U.S. Constitution. Why should oil barons, our U.S. President, or a U.S. Attorney General be permitted to be above the law? Should not all of our U.S. citizens be treated equally under our existing laws? By not swearing in the Republican Attorney General today provided him with a "license" to refrain from telling the truth on all matters that could pertain to all Americans for now or in the future. As a result of this "intentional" injustice our U.S. Citizens safety and constitution is now at risk.

In conclusion: What I witnessed on the U. S. Senate floor today was nothing more than a "kangaroo Court" that could not establish truth or justice to the satisfaction of our American People. How can you establish truth unless a person is "mandated" to tell the truth? This mandate is by "taking the oath" like the rest of us are demanded to do under our existing laws.

LEON
SENIOR CITIZEN, VET, & ACTIVIST

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Keep Them Coming

Subject: Our Freedoms and the Separation of Powers

I appreciate these commentaries. Keep them coming. thanks so much.

Catherine

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Ritalin and Me

Subject: Ritalin Nation: Are We Killing Our Children?

I just read your article about Ritalin and how parents are killing their children

When I was growing up I was diagnosed with ADHD. My mom didn't know what was wrong with me and took me to the doctor, the doctor told her I had ADHD disorder and suggested she put me on Ritalin.

I took Ritalin for a long time while I went to school and grew up, probably about 10 years. It helped me in a way and I make good marks in school.

Later on in life when I was around the age of 20, I was hanging out with some friends and for the first time ever experimented with a drug called Methamphetamine. I had never done any drugs before, except I did smoke weed and didn't like it at all. I thought the same thing would be for this "Crystal Meth" Instead It made me think better, more clearer, I could concentrate again. I started having better conversations with people. Eventually I became hooked to the stuff, like I needed it to function, just like I once needed the ritalin to function. I did that for some time and became really depressed eventually it got so bad that I began using Needles, then I got a rare skin disease and almost died, and I still could not stop using "Speed".

I am going to make a long story short, that drug ruined my life for a long time, I wound up in the hospital so many times, in the end I started having to make regular trips to Psychiatric Facilities for evaluation and they had to put me away, because my mind was being eaten up by that terrible drug.

Now, fortunately I have stopped using it and I am starting to get control of my life again. I just bought a home. I am about to start a small business, or I am actually in the process of this. I also had to stop hanging out with the people that I had once thought were my friends.

I think that Perscription Drugs like Ritalin are "Killing our Children" maybe had I not been on that Ritalin for so long depending on it to function, I may not have went down the road I did. They should use other methods to treat kids or adults growing up with ADHD.

Thank You,
Michael H.