Monday, June 3, 2013
Complaints about Bennett's cartoon relating President Bush to the Holocaust probably represent a great number of dedicated Chattanooga Times Free Press readers disturbed by Bennett's satire, if not his editor's poor judgment. As William Buckley wrote in "Why Don't We Complain?" Americans think speaking up makes no difference to business and its moral insensitivity, and so most remain silent. Perhaps he was right. Nonetheless, I applaud those who have spoken up about Bennett's spiteful satire.
As a rhetorical strategy, satire is not exempt from logical fallacies, such as begging the question, hasty generalization, ad hominem, and false analogy. Bennett apparently thinks these fallacies don't matter.
BOB MILLER, Signal Mountain
America now has the opportunity to become energy independent; but President Obama has yet to make a decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada to our Gulf Coast.
This pipeline is a job creator. It is progress for our country. It stops our dependence on the Middle East oil cartel.
All have signed off on this project except President Obama. Why? What is his excuse? It has been over four years since the Keystone application was submitted to our State Department.
Canada is going to sell this oil to the U.S., or they will sell it overseas to China and others. The American people deserve an approval now!
JOHN ARNEY, Signal Mountain
Recently an editorial was published by a reverend concerning same-sex marriage. First of all I might mention, "reverend" is only mentioned one time in the Holy Bible. Here, it was applied only to God, never to man (Psalm 111:9).
Same-sex marriage is sinful and is condemned in God's word. (Romans 1:26,27). A preacher should be familiar with the scriptures before going before the public condoning immoral actions. Marriages such as these are destroying the Christian home. Many people believe their preachers and do not dig into the word of God. We must get past the manmade religions! Go back to the Bible! It never changes!
Our country's leaders are leaving God and His word out of important decisions being made for the people.
Yes, the time has come. The time is now! God's son was nailed to the cross for us - can we do less than defend His word?
BRENDA SHIPLEY, Sale Creek, Tenn.
I want to thank the writer of the hilarious satire letter of May 30 on the extreme virtues of liberals and the equally exaggerated portrayal of hideously evil, knuckle-dragging conservatives.
Where else but in satire could it be pointed out that liberals view themselves as unbelievably intelligent, Mother Theresa-like kind, painfully generous, always in the right and almost Divine? Jonathan Swift would be so proud. Keep them coming - you have us rolling in the aisles.
PATRICIA O'CONNOR