Sound Off!: September 2006

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Suspicious

Subject: Totalitarianism, American Style

I frequently read the Rutherford Institute's offerings a few weeks late, due to scheduling and other considerations in my own life. Today, 28 September 2006, at 4:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, I attempted to view the video from YouTube in relation to the "Totalitarianism, American Style" article. The system told me that video is no longer available. Was it pulled because someone thought it was too violent, or was it pulled because it told an ugly truth about a segment of society that wishes to hide from scrutiny? Who knows? But ... the situation and the timing are very convenient ... and more than a little suspicious.

Just a thought ....

Jim B.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

US vs Lennon?!

Subject: Neutralizing a Beatle: The U.S. vs. John Lennon

John, I couldn't disagree with you more on this particular topic. It has been proven time and time again, over and over again that the actions of people like Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover were entirely correct and justified. In fact, much of the hullabaloo OVER Senator McCarthy has been lies from the communists he uncovered who had infiltrated our government. Your mischaracterization of the current "spying" on American citizens--listening to calls ONLY FROM overseas suspects of terrorism, or the OUTGOING calls TO areas suspected of terrorism--is literally playing into the hands of those who would undermine our efforts to take out a serious enemy.

I submit that the same disinformation put out about McCarthy is being and HAS been put out concerning the so-called "paranoia" of the 60s and 70s governmental activities in THEIR efforts to do the very same things--root out enemies of our country. Those people were undermining a war that we could have won and, if memory serves, we WERE winning, until the likes of Jane Fonda, John Lennon, among many others, helped along by our pro communist media, in the guise of "reporters" like the beloved "grandfather" type, Walter Cronkite, destroyed our efforts and our national will TO win. Those people learned from failed efforts during WWII, honed those skills during Korea, and used them mercilessly during the Vietnam time frame. The only difference between then and now is that we have an alternative media showing us the other side of the issues.

The very fact that Lennon hung out with the likes of Rubin and Hoffman and appeared to sympathize with their ideas would certainly give any reasonable person cause for suspicion. And it has been well established that most of the venom directed at Nixon was for his part in getting one of the first major convictions of communist infiltrators. After that, he was hated,
villified, constantly harrassed and lied about, BY the communist Left just as was McCarthy.

So, if that is a little long winded, I just meant to say, I rarely believe ANYTHING any more that comes out further villifying the government and personnel of that extrememly volital era. An era, I might add, that brought about a serious change for the WORSE in this great nation.

Keith G.

Monday, September 25, 2006

A Little Article Makes A Big Impact

Subject: Turning Our Schools into Enclaves of Totalitarianism

Last month our daughter was talking about how her school (Cheyenne Mountain High School) is becoming very oppressive, almost prison like. She had recently watched the movie "V For Vendetta" and thought that her school was in need of a pro-democracy revolution, similar to the one in England in the movie. The SCP Newsletter had just come a few days earlier, so I suggested she read the article "Turning Our Schools into Enclaves of Totalitarianism." She was so impressed that she made many copies and began distributing them among her classmates. Many of them started making their own copies and distributing them in an "underground" manner. Then, last week, our daughter approached her former history and geography professor, who seemed pretty open minded. The next day he told her, "This is the most important article I've read in ages. I think I'll start giving copies to all my students from now on."

Anyway, thanks for that little article. You never know what sort of impact something like that can make.

-Jonathan

Monday, September 18, 2006

Agreed

Subject: Rumsfeld's Ray Gun Is Aimed at Us

I agree for the most part. The govt. should try it on criminals or illegal aliens or go ahead and try it on Iraqi rioters NOT citizens. I am not surprised however. Years ago the govt. experimented on the flu or something like that in subways in several cities. The idea was to see how infectious the element was in close quarters. People died. Of course it denied it and then later, under pressure made an admission. Agent Orange???? Illness in Desert Storm???? It is no defense but this is not the first time or the last time such antics will be tried. Another issue is, YES, Rumsfeld is dangerous and has no sense or feeling. I did not object to the war, but it's course has been run by the Keystone Cops. This has resulted in hundreds of UNNECCESARY deaths of our brave soldiers and Iraqi citizens. I personally believe that war is hell and the only way to make it less hell and to win it and put our nation and it's people in a state of security is to fight a war in Biblical terms; annihilate the enemy and destoy his country like a huge storm. That way it is over, people can go home, re-settle, and the winner, hopefully us should negotiate the terms to the benefit and protection of our nation and it's people.

--Romney D.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Stand Up For Wicca

Subject: Stand Up, Stand Up for Wicca

Hello,

I hope I am sending this to the appropriate people. I wanted to thank Christianity Today and John W. Whitehead for Stand Up, Stand Up for Wicca from Christianity Today, Week of June 5. As a pagan, I have been interested in this story and was very moved when searching the Internet to find that the best article on the topic was published by a Christian organization. I wish there could be more respect and tolerance between different faiths rather than fear and hatred. I very much appreciated reading an article that gets to the heart of why this discrimination from our country is so heinous when a soldier has given his life for these freedoms. Thank you so much for writing and publishing this article.

Respectfully,
Mary B.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Appeal

Subject: Next Stop, The Twilight Zone

Mr. Whitehead,

There has never been, nor will there ever be a television series or film for that matter, that had such appeal. Rod Serling was light years ahead and always caught people by surprise. All of the episodes were about morals and consequences: I have always called it "Modern Aesops Fables". Many people get worked up and call it a "cult" series. They must be afraid of their own destinies. I am 52 years old and was able to watch the series because my dad allowed us to stay up late while my mom was waitressing. When I was 8 and 9 years old I would rather stay in to watch The Twilight Zone rather than playing on the playground at the big school right across from our house ( it was on television at 6:30). It really made me value friends and relationships and what those outcomes can be even now in my adult life. My favorite Twilight Zone episodes are more outcome based and include: Spur of the Moment, Ring-a-Ding Girl. Kick the Can, The Masks, The Gift, A Stop at Willoughby, Come Wander with Me, Midnight Sun, Nothing in the Dark, The Bewitching Pool and In Praise of Pip. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Rod Serlings influence! He really got into your mind.

Evon M.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Twilight Zone Commentary

Subject: Next Stop, The Twilight Zone

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your commentary on the Twilight Zone... My favorite episode is Time Enough at Last... As a child I carried a book everywhere and longed for some uninterrupted reading time..when as an adult I saw that episode I could relate totally to it..and was heartbroken when his glasses broke!
Thanks for that little trip...

--CJ

Cluster Bombs

I appreciated your attempt to decry the use of cluster bombs although it seemed you might have included the 4,000 rockets launched by Hizbollah containing hundreds of ball bearing like shrapnel items designed to destroy any human from birth to old age. I suppose the difference might be that the USA had nothing to do with rockets and everything to do with cluster bombs.

War over the centuries has always denigrated to the worst possible case for humanity. Poisonous gases and atomic bombs are a couple of examples which seem to easily overtake cluster bombs. I suppose one could include firebombing a city like Cologne or having Germans murder thousands of Jews and Polish officers. One might even include the slaughter of the Chinese by the Japanese preceding and including WWII.

It seems to me that the lessons of history suggest that war is a human condition. It might put an end to mankind, a far more likely outcome than mankind putting an end to war.

And, to quote someone, somewhere, “if war were not so terrible, man would love it too much”. I take that to mean that the only way possibly for Israel to dissuade Lebanon and Hizbollah from further actions aimed at Israel’s total demise is to make the consequences of war so terrible, they will cease to pursue it for an extended period of time.

It is in fact quite possible that peace is an infrequent condition and only possible when the strongest and most powerful elect to pursue peace through strength.

Gary M.