Posted February 12, 2002

Postrel

[Regarding Justin Raimondo's column of February 6, "How Everything Changed":]

I interviewed Virginia Postrel several years ago about her book The Future and Its Enemies. Prior to the interview I was an avid reader of Reason and was excited to interview one of her stature for my lil' ol' radio show. After the interview I hadn't a freakin' clue as to what, exactly, she was talking about. She said lotsa stuff, used a bunch of words but I couldn't make heads or tails out of it all. After reading her statement on the State of the Union (thanks to your link) I now understand. She wrote:

"The United States is restrained by world opinion, by domestic opinion, by its democratic nature, by its concern for civilian casualties and by its respect for our world's conventions. These are all good things, but they reduce our threat power."

Nowhere does she [write that she thinks] the U.S. is restrained by the Constitution. I now see her blather for what it is.

~ Mark S., North Carolina

'Telebimbo'

...I just read ... [Justin Raimondo's] piece on Ann Coulter (October 5, 2001).

...I find it hard to believe that you miss her attempt at a humor which seems to be fueled by a jaded cynicism. Screw political correctness, but I do think the condescending tone of "telebimbo" opens you to the question of professional jealousy because of her success and exposure Do you not like the way she looks or her personality? -- or do you think maybe it's time to take a week off, spend a couple of nights in a comedy club, recharge your observational skills, cleanse your critical perspective and realize that you are closer to Lenny Bruce than you may think. And so is she! The written word suffers from the absence of vocal inflection that creates an aural tone and then, of course, there's that missing facial expression, too! As Lenny might have said, "It's all in the delivery, man."

And for your information, I don't attend or belong to any church (but am deeply spiritual) and I abhor our current two-party system of hidden faces wit big money and Republicrat whores. I favor a true democracy, limited government, fiscal responsibility, and my original constitutional rights. I was in the Marine Corps 33 years ago and today I feel like a patriot without a country. Keep up the good work!

~ Heron B., Mississippi

Let the Truth Prevail

[Justin Raimondo's column of February 8, "9/11 Cover-Up?"] ... may be the most important editorial written in this generation. As a nation and a generation, we are at a crossroads. Do we go down the same path as past generations and rewrite the facts to fit personal and political agendas or do we draw a line in the sand and say, "Enough, let the truth prevail whatever the cost"? Policies and investigations based on error will only yield more error. Personally, I do not think our government is capable of being objective based upon what happened at Ruby Ridge, Waco and Oklahoma City. Those were obvious cover-ups designed to get complicit government officials off the hook. These types of subjective investigations have become an acceptable policy of the government. The resulting Senate and Congressional hearings are nothing more than photo-ops for the participants. It took 50 years for documented truth about Pearl Harbor to surface. Why? Is this the same direction we are headed with 9/11? Does it really matter if 50 years passes before we find out officially that the Bush family is a bunch of schmucks like many now are talking about Roosevelt ? Many of us already are aware of Grandpa Prescott and his Hitler connection just like Daddy Gore and his relationship with Armand Hammer and Uncle Joe Stalin. We don't need to wait 50 years to find out that the family has more in common with the Sopranos and Corleones than the Nelsons or the Cleavers. Why do we have to be subjected to 50 years of error compounded upon error to see some elitist family "save face"?

~ PJC

Optimistic

Having just read Justin Raimondo's ... column on GW's State of the Union speech, I have two main reactions. On the one hand, I completely agree with his concluding the Bushies' acts consist of nothing more nor less than a grab for power. But I'm having a bit of trouble with his frustration over the American public's not having yet seen the same thing. I can remember, not long ago, reading with disbelief JR's columns ascribing noble, higher motivations to this crew of election-fixers than simply feathering their own nests. How could anyone, I thought, even begin to believe that GW's crocodile tears at WTC were genuine? How could the President's and VP's hiding under whatever rock they could find until the danger had completely passed be seen as anything but overt cowardice? I heard GW say he was "sad" and "angry," but I could detect neither in his eyes nor his words. All I saw was a weaselly glint, sparked only by his having seen the opportunity God gave him to take everything he could get. Just like in Florida. I'm surprised to find I'm more optimistic than Justin that, down the line, the public will wake up to the best and biggest scandal of this century, just as Raimondo has finally, thankfully, done.

~ John M., Montana

Better and Better

You're getting better and better! I kept linking from Orlin Grabbe, now I'll just check you each day. I'll mail a contribution, you beat NPR all to hell. Do a web radio audio-cast. Please.

~ Bret L. Kansas

Africa

Your articles and comments are different and much more informative and interesting. My question is, are there no newsworthy events happening in Africa? In this respect your media is just as "usual" as the others who marginalize Africa.

~ S.T.

The Vote

Many of [my] dear friends think that Khatami was elected [only] because the other alternatives were much worse. The history of Iranian elections, after the Islamic revolution, give us a totally different conclusion. Iranian people followed in all those years a certain policy and that was "no eligible candidate => no vote". The important point during the election of Khatami is that more than 60% of the population did vote. I understand the frustration of many Iranian people across the world about the little changes in Iran's situation, but let's not undermine the vote and the decision of ... [those] who stay in their country in spite of all difficulties.

~ Vida M.