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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels September 16, 2004 Review depends on the source In response to my recent Guest Forum, Harry L. Cook wrote, "As to the specifics of Mr. Hartley's analysis of the film, perhaps a measure of the accuracy of his criticisms is found in his claim that 'even the liberal press has discredited Michael Moore.' Actually the New York Times in its review of the film gave it an 'A.' Rolling Stone and USA Today gave it an 'A.'" My reaction: 1) Using "perhaps" in the sentence does make his statement true. 2) Perhaps the second "his" is a typo. 3) I need to apologize to Harry L. Cook. When I wrote about the liberal press I did not realize that someone would consider movie reviews as measurements as to whether or not a film is historically accurate. Movie ratings judge the entertainment value. When I wrote my claim that "even the liberal press has discredited Michael Moore," I was thinking of real intellectuals such as Christopher Hitchens. He authored the book "The Trial of Henry Kissinger." Christopher Hitchens thinks Mr. Kissinger should stand trial for aggressive pursuit of war and war crimes and that President Nixon should have stood trial. Christopher Hitchens wrote, "Fahrenheit 9/11 is a sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness. It is also a spectacle of abject political cowardice masking itself as a demonstration of "dissenting" bravery." Bill Hartley Medford Opposition does not mean phobia It's not only the "religious right" that opposes homosexuality. Swami Muktananda, a world-renowned Indian saint, wrote: "... a true Guru ... would not do anything improper... A Guru would never be flirting with mistresses or hobnobbing with homosexuals. In our country a homosexual would never be regarded as a Guru. Homosexuals are considered to be eunuchs - disgusting, impure and inauspicious." (Satsang With Baba: Questions and answers with Swami Muktananda, Volume 2, p. 197) I don't know whether Swami Muktananda himself opposes homosexuality. But if he does, it's not due to homophobia. Saints are beyond having phobias. If someone opposes cigarette smoking, he's not necessarily tobacco-phobic. Similarly, if someone opposes homosexuality, he's not necessarily homophobic. One doesn't need to fear something in order to oppose it. Ambuja Rosen Ashland Bush campaign built on lies The Republicans are running on lies and distortions about Kerry, lies and distortions on Bush's record, and promises they have no intention of keeping. This would be bad enough any time, but when our country faces real threats from Islamic extremists, it's especially dangerous. It's natural in times of trouble to look to authority figures for protection, so the convention rang that bell endlessly. But Bush's record is one of "an almost unbroken string of mistakes and miscalculations" according to Nobel Peace Prize winner and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. These blunders have cost our country dearly and we will be paying for them for generations. Rhetoric and misdirection cover them up with emotional appeals and irrelevant adventures that bear little relation to our real interests. When these prove insufficient, the Republican noise machine resorts to outright lies. "A lie told often enough becomes the truth," wrote Vladimir Lenin. The danger of this approach to politics is as deadly as any threat to our democracy. Indeed, if the people do not wake up, elections will soon be merely a show where the most effective and well-organized image-makers, spinners and liars are hired by the elite to ratify their power. The convention tried to paint a false choice between fighting terrorism and not fighting terrorism. It's really even bigger than that. It's a choice between pseudo-democracy by emotional image-making and mud-slinging, and the reinvigoration of the national debate on how best to solve our common concerns. David Katz Ashland The twins the silver lining Since John Kerry is running such a lame campaign, it looks like there's gonna be four more years of Dubya World. But hey, in almost every misfortune there can be some ray of sunshine. In this case it's the Bush twins - Barbara and Jenna. Yowsa! I been waitin' nigh on forty years for some hotties in the White House. And with their reputation for enjoying a good time, as well as their impeccable comic timing, all I can say is: "Let's party down, Dude." Doyle Hirsch Ashland DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams