"Sticks and stones" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Sticks and Stones

The Washington Post periodically publishes a column by Gary Abernathy, publisher of the Hillsboro, Ohio Times Gazette, who purports to speak for the Midwest Middle Americans who sent Trump to the White House and support him still.  Lately, he defends Trump’s reference to “shithole countries” with two major contentions: 1) people in his rural area, proud of disparagements from disliked liberal elites and media, elected an African American woman to local office and thus would be surprised to discover that they are racist; 2) he and his community wonder “when the rest of the world became so thin-skinned.”  The African Union, which demanded a retraction of Trump’s comments, could have responded with “Who cares what he said?”  We can choose whether to be offended, Abernathy says.

            Presumably, the African Union cares—in the same way many Americans care—because Trump is the President of the United States, with the powers that belong to the title:  economic, political, moral.  And we care when those who praise Trump’s “truth telling” disregard the tone of his comments, as if relationships—international, congressional, personal—aren’t affected by it and as if we can’t choose to aim for decency in our language.  Abernathy also ignores the rest of Trump’s declarations:  his clear preference for white-skinned (Norwegian) immigrants over black and brown ones (African, Haitian).  Many of us thin-skinned Americans—white and people of color—are repelled and disgusted to be represented by a man who is dragging our country through the muck of our divisions and whose presence elevates voices who can cloak their prejudices under the robe of respectability.

            A newspaper editor should recognize that the language we use matters.  So should a president.

Publishing history 

Times Herald-Record           1/23

New Paltz Times                  1/26/18

"Locker room talk" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Locker Room Talk

Basketball coaches exhort their athletes not to be motivated by dazzling, photo-ready slam dunks.  Focus on the fundamentals:  learn and implement the system and strive for successful teamwork. 

            That wisdom beckons in this era of daily distractions generated by Trump’s tweet storms and compliant mass media. This week’s twitchy uproar over Oprah Winrey’s Golden Globes speech and her presidential bona fides serves as a reminder.  Headlines with a one-day half-life obscure what really matters.

            The fundamentals:  the GOP tax bill transferred massive wealth from taxpayers to corporations and the richest individuals.  Opponents must study and chronicle its dramatic effects over the next decade.  Those who clamor for immediate impeachment hearings or a 25th amendment removal should worry whether a new historical precedent established today could be used against their champion in the future.  If Trump’s egregious abuses justify reporters openly staking their claim as opponents of his administration, who will be the credible truth tellers when the next despot emerges, from the right or left?

            The Mueller investigation:  wait as it runs its course.  We can’t predict its surprises or its consequences.

            The 2018 Congressional elections:  results will determine the direction of Trump’s final two years.  Choose your candidates and work hard for them-- carry petitions, canvass, phone, persuade your neighbors.

             Educate our young people, at home and in school.  Take the long view.  Teach thoughtful listening and reading, quiet reflection, community engagement.

            Another sports metaphor:  don’t look for a knockout of Trumpism.  This match will be won on points.

Publishing history

Albany Times Union             1/17/18

New Paltz Times                   2/1/18

"Message in a bottle" Letter to the editor Tom Denton

Message in a Bottle

Dear World—Help!  We are being held hostage.  Yes, it’s true that some of our manly white dudes worship the guy with the big button, but the Stockholm syndrome can make you crazy.  Yes, our GOP leaders that you ordinarily deal with are greedy, spineless frauds, but it’s hard to be a sycophant and rich at the same time.  Don’t expect them to negotiate:  after their tax bill, they’re set until at least 2027 and won’t be interested in doing any deals except their own. 

These tweet storms are worse than listening to “I’d love to be an Oscar Meyer weiner/That is what I’d truly like to be-e-e” cycled 24/7 over a loudspeaker.  We can’t take it anymore!  Nuclear war, what!?  Huma Abedin?  Is she dangerous?  An awards show for crooked media?  Who’s nominated?  HE put an end to death in the skies.  What else should we be grateful for?  Stop!

We aren’t grateful!  He isn’t us!  Please don’t abandon us.  We have a problem in our family.  It’s a disease.  We are at Step 1:  we admit that we are powerless.  Can you help us with an intervention?   A BIG one?  Send Gort.  Klaatu barada nikto.

We know he never wanted the job.  We’re afraid of what he’ll do to get rid of it.

You’ve got to hurry.  It’s getting worse every day.  The lives you save may be your own.  

Publishing history

Daily Freeman                      1/10

New Paltz Times                   1/11

"To the editor" Andi Weiss Bartczak

To the editor:

I read the first part of George Civile’s letter about Darwinism (Theory of evolution by natural selection) a few weeks ago, but dropped out when he started to mention God.  As a scientist let me point out that science can be disruptive.  Darwin was trying to figure out how a one-celled organism billions of years ago led to multi-celled organisms such as ourselves.  He hypothesized that evolution (mutations in genes) interacted with the environment over billions of years to produce plants and animals.  The first animal was changed by evolution into many different animals (the egg came before the chicken) to fit all the ecological niches available. 

The common ancestor of humans and chimps evolved about 6.7 million years into two very different species, probably due to random mutations.  Then that pre-human species evolved into several species and so on until Homo sapiens (us) appeared.  Our unusually large and well-connected brain appears to be due to mutations in certain genes and epigenetic proteins.  The future will show whether an animal with self-consciousness and cleverness is a good idea.

I happened upon a novel written by a man who had written a number of lousy cowboys in space novels (I can’t find the book on my bookshelves).   After accidentally entering a spaceship within Stonehenge, the protagonist lands on the worlds that are the stops before the final stop.  After a number of further adventures, on the last page he declares that there is no Purpose To His Life.  He has to make his own purpose.  I agree with him.

I think it was the scientist Stephen Jay Gould who declared that if evolution started again at some point millions or billions of years ago, humans would probably not exist.  Evolution is random.  So unless you believe in a goddess, god or a multiple thereof, you have to decide on your purpose in this existence that produced you by chance.  A different sperm or a different egg that met would have produced someone else.  That makes who you are and what you do due to you (and the society you live in and the environment that affects the functioning of your genes).  Take credit for the good and responsibility for the bad from your actions.

Andi Weiss Bartczak