From time-to-time I’ve read or heard of the publication “Mother Jones,” but I’d not read anything published by it until today when a link to Peter Byrne’s “Battlespace America” was discovered posted on “Real Clear Politics.”
Reading the essay has caused me to wonder if your magazine made a point of protesting the murderous assault made by U.S. government agencies, including the armed forces, upon [citizens] innocent of federal offenses at Waco, when Janet Reno was A.G.?
I suspect not. Likewise, I doubt your magazine pouted when Randy Weaver’s wife and infant daughter were murdered by the feds at Ruby Ridge. Unlike urban Leftist windbags, such as the editor and writers of “Mother Jones,” whose counter-cultural activities usually begin and end with a bag of hot air, Weaver chose to live differently than most of us at Ruby Ridge, Idaho. …
Tell me, did “Mother Jones” complain about that incident, another one carried on [Bill Clinton’s] watch?
Although I’m not a Republican, my guess is [that] your protests are reserved for instances when the Republicans are in power, but the Democrats always receive a pass from you. No?
William Livingston
Colorado Springs
For readers interested in more background on the disappearance of the
individual in American politics and business I recommend “The Organization
Man” by William H. Whyte jr. originally published by Simon and Schuster 1957.
It quite clearly lays out the antecedents of the current age as described
in Tom’s , “Politics in an Age of Fiction”.
Robert M. Silver
[Garret Keizer writes] about the religious right and their hatred for the poor. I’m not sure who Garret is referring to, but the religious right I know are very loving and supportive of the poor. In fact, most of the writer’s descriptions of the religious right don’t describe the people I know. I got about a third of the way through the article and realized the writer was using hyperbole to make his points. I’m sure he was impressed with his own rhetoric, but I wasn’t. …
I’ll give Garret this much: There certainly are some despicable individuals connected with the religious right, but most of the ones I know are wonderful people. It seems dishonest that Garret would attempt to tar every Republican Christian with the same brush. There are individuals I don’t agree with politically yet I consider them to be my friends. I don’t question the moral character of those who vote differently.
At any rate, I believe Garret Keizer was spewing out unnecessary hatred for individuals he has never met. He doesn’t know me well enough to judge my character because I vote a certain way. If he would tone down his hate-speech, maybe people like me would be able to read his entire article. He definitely has a terrific talent, but his unreasonable anger bothers me and sickens me.
John Hinshaw
Thank you for bringing this exhibit to light. I attended a fundraiser
in Connecticut over a year ago to raise money to bring the exhibit to
the New York area, and even the fundraiser was protested, with more
police presence than at a rap concert. The work in question was not
anti-Semitic. [T]here were several Orthodox Jews present viewing the
same images, and who were welcomed openly by the event sponsors.
The American public needs to know that Palestine and the Palestinian
people exist and are being treated inhumanely. … I am not Palestinian, but my wife’s father was driven from his
home when he was a child by Israeli soldiers and was forced to live in
a ghetto. This, by the same people who trumpet the phrase “Never
Again.”
Thank you again for bringing some balance to this very real problem.
Michael Kabbash
Plainsboro, NJ
Want to join in the conversation? Email us at backtalk@motherjones.com
(Email may be edited for clarity and quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
