LETTERS

Dan Rather leaves, and the profession he helped elevate chases him out with Enquirer-worthy snipes. What were the headlines? "Rather Departs Under Cloud of Scandal," "Dan Rather Finally Quits Having Stayed Too Long." I think journalists have forgotten that before Rather and his generation, the media was a propaganda branch of government, a ventriloquist at the service of the party in power. Rather and his cohorts made journalism a force to be reckoned with. They actually told people things that mattered. They were arrogant, even haughty, because the government they went after had shamelessly abused power (kinda like today), and in order to take on those challenges, you have to be rather fat in the head. You certainly can't accuse the press today of being fat in the head. I'd say submissive would be an apt description.

And perhaps that's the reason for all the nasty remarks as Rather fades. Today, radio, TV news and print journalism exist as a Bush Administration mouthpiece. Now that the last giant of the profession has departed, the media can get back to sniveling for a seat at the table.

Editor,

We live in a small Arizona town about 40 miles from the Mexico border. Arizona is the nation's busiest crossing point for illegal immigrants.

Because of these invaders we pay out millions of dollars yearly in taxpayer money for health care, education costs, law enforcement, and other social services for their free upkeep; our lands are covered with tons of their trash; we must be highly alert while recreating on these lands due to increased hostility from illegals; private property is destroyed. We are being overwhelmed by these criminals.

Don't think this stops in Arizona or the other border states. From here many fan out north, west, and east. That means to where you live, and then you begin to pay your share.

Last year the House passed a strong enforcement bill (HR4437). Please, contact your House members and urge them to stand firm on these measures during the House/Senate negotiations. Immigration reform must start with enforcement, and securing our borders and no amnesty, under any disguise, should be at the forefront. Help stop the erosion of America's sovereignty and the misuse of billions of dollars nationwide on illegal aliens.

Just got done reading your article ["It's Funny At the Bottom", June 15]. Very good. It's very cool that you took the time to check out the comics and help them out this way. I hope to catch your act someday.

Editor,

Twenty years ago (in a sense) I wrote a "Letter to the Editor."

Oil will be the ruination of world countries—countries are sucking the blood of the Earth. In time, Asia will have huge cavities from the draining of oil.

Come a huge earthquake, Asia will become a huge sinkhole.

Or worse, cavities will be filled with natural gas that has been dormant for ages—come a huge earthquake, the Earth will explode into large parts as asteroids. With no gravity, parts of Earth will soar into space. Some will hit the sun. Some parts will form with other asteroids into another Earth and life will start over again. Then another God will be created.

Will it be nature's [way] of cleans[ing] the universe?

Dear Brittany,

Like the rest of America, I know you as the courageous Foothill High School valedictorian with the 4.7 GPA whose commencement speech mentioning God was cut short when school officials turned off your microphone.

You don't know me. I am an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, author, and radio talk-show host. I live in Seattle and head an organization called Toward Tradition, which defends the Judeo-Christian values ...

We applaud people like you who stand up for Judeo-Christian values and we denounce people like Allen Lichtenstein, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada. Along with his organization, he tries to strip out Judeo-Christian values from America, presumably because he considers them to be primitive obstacles to progress.

Mr. Lichtenstein encouraged the school officials to censor you because your speech "promoted religion." It is really weird. My Jewish ancestors stood at the foot of Mount Sinai 3,000 years ago doing exactly what you are accused of doing—promoting religion. It used to be considered a good thing for Jews to do. Nowadays we must mostly count on fervent Christians like you to promote religion. May God bless you.

... You should also be proud that you conducted yourself with such dignity that hundreds of your fellow graduates and their families jeered long and loud at the petty tyranny of the school officials.

... One can only imagine how enthusiastically the educrats would have praised your speech had you instead preached in favor of some of the activities that Las Vegas routinely advertises for the purpose of attracting the dissolute to the degrading. It would have been fine for you to have promoted almost anything in your speech other than religion.

... A canyon cuts through our culture. With the many young Americans, both Jewish and Christian, who are deeply devoted to God's biblical blueprint for society, Mr. Lichtenstein and the ACLU don't stand a chance of forcing their beliefs down our throats.

Sincerely,

I just read your article on Guerilla Masquerade Parties [Nights on the Circuit, June 15] and wanted to let you know that [Guerilla Masquerade Party] isn't the only one who does such things. The local Burning Man group has been doing them for awhile also, although we don't refer to them as Guerilla Masquerade Parties. Our last one was on Easter. We all dressed as bunnies. Normally, we'd do the Santa Rampage this time of year, but the theme has changed ...

Loved your article, and keep with the costumes. Life's more fun in costume.