Occupying the corporate media
Dear Editor,
The following is a response to a letter written by Mr. Dennis Pierce in the Oct. 27 issue of the Telegraph:
Dear Editor,
The following is a response to a letter written by Mr. Dennis Pierce in the Oct. 27 issue of the Telegraph:
Dear Mr. Pierce, I’m surprised you pay attention to those liberals at MSNBC, I had you pegged for a Fox News guy. Did you know that in 2008, General Electric and Microsoft donated almost $3 million to the Democratic Party? In 2010, $2 million was donated. Do you see where I’m going with this? In case you don’t, let me explain: GE and Microsoft own MSNBC. Why would MSNBC paint the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protestors as idiots when, supposedly, they are being funded by Soros and moveon.org? Something doesn’t add up or maybe the right hand just doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.
Here’s a different interpretation of what’s going on. Let’s start by calling the liberal media more accurately as the corporate media (Fox News included). The target of OWS is the corporate elite, you know, the 1 percent. It only makes sense that the corporate elite would use their puppets, the corporate media, to marginalize the OWS movement. Moveon.org is merely playing catch up and trying to co-opt OWS, they are hoping to steer OWS toward voting for Democrats in 2012. You write, “Somehow, the fact that Wall Street investment firms and banks donated $18 million to the Obama election campaign is lost on the 99 percent.” I assure you, it isn’t. Your statement leads me to believe that you don’t know what OWS is about. But, I guess that since you’ve been watching MSNBC that would explain why. If you are really interested in learning more about OWS, go to democracynow.org, I promise you you’ll see much more articulate examples of what OWS is trying to express.
From the overall tone of your letter, I conclude that you believe OWS to be made up of half-wits and is going nowhere. OWS is standing up against theft, corruption, exploitation and murder. Don’t you see that? To make this simple, I can sum up what OWS stands for in one word: justice. Now does justice really sound so bad?
I wonder, Mr. Pierce, how you feel about the Arab Spring? Are those people fools as well in fighting for freedom? Or perhaps, in your opinion,
it is only OK for people in countries ruled by dictators to stand up for their inalienable human rights? This is a dangerous road, Mr. Pierce, I am beginning to wonder if you might not be interested in justice and freedom. There are people who oppose justice and freedom. Do you know who they are? They are the 1 percent. But, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, maybe you’re just confused and ill-informed.
There is another word that goes hand in hand with justice and freedom and that is truth. I suspect, Mr. Pierce, that you do value truth. I believe this because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be writing impassioned letters to the editor. Do you know who doesn’t value truth? Again, the 1 percent. This means you’re with the rest of us, the 99 percent. So, if you are indeed interested in the truth, stop wasting you time with the corporate media.
I’m not going to try and answer for Mr. Vana in regards to the forced bankruptcy of GM, but I’ll give you my two cents. I’ll assume that you weren’t asking a rhetorical question and honestly don’t know. Gosh, Mr. Pierce, it sounds like business as usual, the old revolving door between the corporate elite and Washington spinning silently while the rest of America struggles to get by and people in Third World countries are tortured or crushed beneath tank treads. Again, OWS knows this. Where have you been?
Tomorrow is a new day Mr. Pierce, there’s still time.
– Carsten Almskaar, Durango
Haunted by inevitable ghost tale
Dear Editor,
As a psychologist and critical thinking scientist, I read with interest—and disappointment—Leslie Swanson’s article on Durango hauntings that appeared in the Telegraph of 10/27/11. As the Telegraph well knows in its tireless promotion of democracy and informed voting, a critically thinking citizenry is essential in order for our political process to yield productive results. I understand that Halloween is a time for many to suspend disbelief, but it may be especially important to promote critical thinking at such junctures. Logical thought is not simply a matter of “holding fast to disbeliefs” as Swanson put it, but rather of systematically sorting through evidence and realizing that sometimes our own perceptions lead us astray. For instance, the vast majority of us believe that the world is round, despite the fact that, when we look at the beautiful autumn horizon in Durango, it certainly looks flat. In addition, there is strong scientific consensus on climate change, though we cannot see (or feel) it happening in our daily lives.
Dear Editor,
As a psychologist and critical thinking scientist, I read with interest—and disappointment—Leslie Swanson’s article on Durango hauntings that appeared in the Telegraph of 10/27/11. As the Telegraph well knows in its tireless promotion of democracy and informed voting, a critically thinking citizenry is essential in order for our political process to yield productive results. I understand that Halloween is a time for many to suspend disbelief, but it may be especially important to promote critical thinking at such junctures. Logical thought is not simply a matter of “holding fast to disbeliefs” as Swanson put it, but rather of systematically sorting through evidence and realizing that sometimes our own perceptions lead us astray. For instance, the vast majority of us believe that the world is round, despite the fact that, when we look at the beautiful autumn horizon in Durango, it certainly looks flat. In addition, there is strong scientific consensus on climate change, though we cannot see (or feel) it happening in our daily lives.
In other words, we have learned that our eyes and other senses may betray us at times. A flickering light on a meter in a basement office may be a “ghost who is willing to answer a few questions,” as Swanson put it. Or there may be another explanation for the flickering. So next time you feel afraid of ghosts, one option you could consider is to think about alternative explanations, which Swanson’s article failed to do, and perhaps even face the essence of the fear itself—i.e., your inevitable mortality.
– Critically Yours, Brian Burke, Durango
– Critically Yours, Brian Burke, Durango
(Editor’s response: Thanks for writing, Brian. Sorry if our Halloween indulgence hit a sour note. You know, we don’t believe most of what we write, either. In fact, we suppose that ghosts are a little like the Super Ego: you’ve been told it exists, and sometimes you even think you hear voices in your head, but there’s no real proof. As for the existence of frightening occurrences downtown on Halloween, apparently you’ve never been to the Ranch around closing time. Talk about scary.)
Ben Franklin occupies thoughts
Dear Editor,
Regarding Dennis Pierce’s letter criticizing, condemning and complaining about my support for the Occupy Wall Street movement: Benjamin Franklin once wisely said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most fools do.”
— Thanks, Bill Vana
p.s. I hope this ends here. I’m sure there are more worthy things to print.
Simple math for 100% of us
Dear Editor,
This is what I would like to share about 99 percent and 1 percent: 1 percent + 99 percent = 100 percent; 99 percent + 1 percent = 100 percent; and 100 percent = 100 percent. Is this a problem? Any questions? Got your answer? Great! Sail on!
– Halina Koperniak, Vallecito
Camino crosswalk appreciated
Dear Telegraph,
I’d like to publicly thank CDOT and the City of Durango for the timely completion of a new crosswalk at Camino del Rio at 12th St. I cross here at least twice a day walking to and from work, and as the days grow shorter, I’ve had my doubts as to how well traffic flying up and down the highway can see pedestrians. Also, thanks to the drivers who have already figured out that when the traffic signals changes from flashing red to solid, this means “stop.”
–Cheers, Brendan Trimboli