Newspapers

A couple of newspapers this week had articles that upset me.  I wrote rebuttals to both.  I think one will appear as an op-ed piece or so I was told.  I don't know about the other.

I do, however, like to get replies from the columnists.  It's good they read what their readers send to them.  There are those who pretty much always reply and those who never do, as if they are sitting on high pontificating to the rest of us.  I think I call them "the arrogant elitists." 

Politicians are often the same way.  I rarely get any responses from Sens Levin or Stabenow.  One time I did and the response had nothing to do with my letter.  I sent back right away, pointing that out and asking, "Is anyone awake up there?"  I also received a reply to that one, an apology for the first response, but still not addressing my concerns.  Neither of our past few governors reply either, even if I had specific questions. 

Thomas Sowell had yet another good column this week.  He takes on the notion that government, led by the elites, make far more catastrophic, fatal mistakes than individuals do.  And, unlike many who just spew empty platitudes, he gives example after example to support his contentions.  Sowell, perhaps, is nice than I am.  He calls what I call arrogant elitists "the intelligentsia," although he's certainly not being complimentary.  He notes the "intellectual elite see themselves as the shepherds and us as their sheep."  Many of "us" play the part well, though.  Sowell has a great question, perhaps one we should address to our Commanders-in-Chief--"Can you imagine a President of the United States saying to the mothers of America, 'I am sorry your sons were killed in a war I never should have gotten us into?'"  No, I can't imagine that.