Re: Dubious Dogma From The Witch Doctor Dalai Lama by Nicholas Provenzo (November 15, 2006)
I must congratulate Mr. Provenzo on his accurate description of the Dali Lama. I can add something to expand the irrationality of this “great moral leader.”
In the 1990’s, when the media began its frenzied admiration for environmentalism, Bill Moyers, on a PBS special, interviewed the holy one. Both men sat under some trees in the early evening. Mosqitoes pestered them repeatedly as they swatted them to prevent the bites.
Suddenly, Moyers gets the bright idea that to swat at a mosquito and kill it would be morally wrong, since the Dali Lama stated earlier that all life forms have equal value(to whom?). The Dali Lama replied to Moyers’ statement that some days when he feels like it, the Dali Lama lets the mosquito bite him and draw blood. Some days he chases the mosquito away. Other days, depending on his mood, the Dali Lama swats & kills the mosquito drawing its blood.
If one substitutes a human for the mosquito, since to the Dali Lama, all life forms have equal value, the mindset or should I say mindlessness of this character becomes abundantly clear. Of course, Mr. Moyers did not notice the obvious conclusion to draw from the Dali Lama’s alleged moral reasoning. Perhaps if the Dali Lama swatted Mr. Moyers on the head the connection might have occurred.
Regards,
John W. Beason
Huntsville, Texas
Re: What War? by M. Zachary Johnson (November 7, 2006)
To the editor:
Mr. Johnson’s observation that we are not at war is important and true–at a certain level. Therein lies the tragedy. Certainly on the level of policy and strategy, there is no war, only a mish-mash of “police actions” aimed at trying to keep “stability” in a country that has never know peace without dictatorship.
On the level of the individual soldiers, however, we are at war. When Americans in uniform are being routinely, and continually, killed and maimed, what exists is a war, and nothing but a war.
The tragic betrayal of our troops is precisely in the gulf between our leadership and our troops. For our brave soldiers, this is a war that they should be empowered to win. But they are placed in the middle of a Platonic War–one that exists as a floating idea in the minds of our leadership, but that our troops have not been allowed to make real, and to end.
This is why I agree wholemindly with Mr. Johnson. This betrayal of our military required the American people to withdraw their sanction from the Republicans. Let us remember: atomic weapons were developed, and used, in World War II, by Democrats. Let us hope that they can reverse the intellectual damage of the 1960’s and regain their will to defend their country. The Republicans have shown that they will not.
Regards,
John Lewis
