What's being written.......

Morally bankrupt party in charge
Letters to the editor - San Angelo Standard Times

June 2, 2006

Editor:

Having followed our county's descent into fascism and empire in the past 5 years has been a rough ride. Will it ever end? The leadership (and I use the word loosely) of the United States has been horrendous. Mistakes, lies, corruption and plain old evil have been, and continue to be, rampant. The death and destruction is immeasurable. Our country's reputation in the world is so tarnished, it may never be recovered. Even people that voted for this president two times are seeing the carnage.
With a complicit media, much of the American people follow along more or less as they are told to. Any citizens that question the government have been called traitors or ''liberals.'' By the way, the folks out there thinking there is a liberal media bias in this country need to get back to reality. Before Clinton's impeachment, perhaps. But now, with the arrival of FOX News, this is just nonsense. Any media outlet that questions our government is treated just like citizens that do so - called traitors, etc. - by the right-wing wannabe-like FOX News media that actually runs the show. The rest of them are more than willing to be shills for a corrupt administration because that is what FOX News does. Don't believe it? The White House just hired a FOX News pundit to be its press secretary. The media in the United States have let the people down.
Not only is the administration all the things I mentioned, they are goofy as can be. Also proving there is no liberal media is the fact that some numskull hired the fantastic Stephen Colbert to close the show at the White House Correspondence dinner a few weeks ago. It was shown a few times on C-Span, but was essentially blacked out by that ''liberal'' media (you didn't hear about it, did you?) but it set the Internet ablaze. Read the transcript or find the video on the Internet for a real treat. It is probably one of the few times in the past 5 years President Bush was confronted with raw truth. Colbert handed it to the press, as well. He was fearless and simply told the truth.
A word about the current Republican strategy. They, not the Democrats, are turning out to be the party of no ideas. Wedge issues like gay marriage bigotry, English language nonsense, and so-called immigration reform are what they are left with. Sadly, there are plenty of Americans that are more than willing to follow these sleazy politicians into a mind-set of hate and prejudice.
There are no answers to these problems. They are simply brought up by a morally bankrupt party to divide our all ready divided nation. Whatever happened to human kindness? What happened to a helping hand? What happened to Christian decency? Can we not tell corruption from truth?

Miles McMillan
San Angelo

source: http://www.sanangelostandardtimes.com/sast/news_opinion_letters/article/0,1897,SAST_10318_4744209,00.html

Movies and novels push people to think
Letters to the editor

June 1, 2006
Editor:
When a novel or movie such as ''The Da Vinci Code'' is released, I am amazed at the reaction of some churches and Christians. I did a Google search for ''The Da Vinci Code'' and received 9,070,000 results. Obviously, there is tremendous interest as well as a strong reaction and resistance.
As I listen to the debate over whether this is fiction or based on some fact, I wish to speak to the underlying issue. The issue for some churches and Christians (especially clergy) is much deeper than any novel or movie can produce.
Like other novels and movies, another will replace this one. If you remember, in 1988, the novel ''The Last Temptation Christ'' by Nikos Kazantzakis came to life on the big screen. In 2004, Mel Gibson's ''The Passion'' created a religious stir and frenzy, which some would argue was more fictitious than fact. Novels and movies come and go, but the underlying issue remains: the fundamental fear and resistance of allowing people to think for themselves.
Anytime a religious body claims to have the truth, all other thoughts become false and are not to ever be entertained. Moreover, judgment is cast upon anyone who questions or is open to other possibilities. In essence, there is the fear, from some churches, of losing control.
However, this is certainly not a new issue. The Reformation is a result of challenging religious authority and encouraging the individual's right and ''rite'' to think and theologically discern.
In our own country, before and after the Revolutionary War, many Christians sought religious freedom by rejecting religious authority and structure. This new frontier spirit rejected the European model of government and ''church.'' People embraced this newfound freedom, and during the ''Expansion Era,'' churches were established and flourished.
So the issue is age old and present today. When religious authority is challenged, those in ''authority'' resist. It is good to entertain new thoughts and ideas. Movies and novels are powerful ways to get people to think and to share their understandings with others. We have been created with a mind, and we should use it.

Rev. Ben G. Hubert
San Angelo

source: http://www.sanangelostandardtimes.com/sast/news_opinion_letters/article/0,1897,SAST_10318_4740791,00.html