Letters To The Editor

Letters To The Editor

Dear Sir:

First, I wish to congratulate you on your Benjamin Franklin award. Well deserved. And thank you for continuing to publish thought-provoking and, at times perhaps, provocative contributions to the Ojo.

In the August issue Fred Mittag captures correctly the political climate of the US – a climate driven by paranoia, hate, divisiveness and money. US citizens may believe that they have the best government in the world. The way I see it, the US has the worst government corporate campaign contributions can buy.

I cannot for the life of me understand (though I know the historical underpinning) how a country of 330 million people has only two political parties. Is there no diversity of political opinion in such a large country? Only “conservatives” and “liberals” (Democrats)? Are there no shades of grey, just black and white? Such simplistic and naive perspective unfortunately is reflected, not only in domestic but also in foreign policy to the detriment of the US. I believe the world is a bit more complex than that.

George W. Bush’s words ring true, today more than ever: “You’re either for us or against us.” “United” States has become a misnomer. A more appropriate name would be “Divided” States of whatever. Take a look at your electoral map and the blobs of red and the blue, and you will see what I mean. By the way, I no longer use the word “America” or “American” when referring to the US or its citizens because America is not a country, but a continent, with about 35 countries.

Mr. Mittag is also right about the lack of logic in conservative thinking and the spewing of hate and brainwashing by certain media outlets and news channels: “raw red meat,” he calls it, just as the Romans fed the lions in the Coliseum to entertain the uneducated masses.

One notorious anchor who claims to have the largestaudience for 14 years running often uses as his clinching argument, “Everyone knows.” First, given the low academic world rankings of US high school graduates, I would not be overly proud of being the show with the largest audience. Secondly, in logic, the phrase “everyone knows” is considered a logical fallacy and proves nothing.

Given the aforementioned complexity of the world, with ISIS beheading US journalists and “non-believers” in Iraq and nightly rioting in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, US-ers had better reflect deeply before voting in the upcoming elections, even if there are only two choices.

Karl Homann

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