Celebrity politics
After addressing the UN recently to try to end the genocide in Darfur, George Clooney was asked if he would run for a political office, a question that he never really gave a yes or no to. In fact he answered like a true politician; he completely dodged the question and changed the subject.
As much as I hate to say it, it is quickly becoming obvious that the only people who can run this country well and get things done without acting like small children are the actors themselves. The fact that people like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura and Sonny Bono can run a state better than people who have long lines of political blood pulsing through their veins is kind of disturbing.
Has it become such a pathetic moment in political history that we have to dip into the washed-up Hollywood actors pool to find politicans that people will actually show up to vote for? Is this country so superficial that we would resort to having every good looking movie star run for office regardless of the lack of political experience they have?
While I have to admit myself that the political gene pool is in desperate need of chlorination lately, I don’t believe that the increasing trend of voting in movie stars is a great political idea. It’s not that I don’t think that these people can’t make a difference. Clooney has already proven that he can. My point is that I don’t think these former stars would have the knowledge or nerve to make difficult decisions if and when the time comes.
That being said, I guess as a nation we are stuck with what we get until we decide to take a stronger stand when it comes to voting. I wonder if Clooney needs someone to run with him.
– Kadie Puffenbarger
Terrorism response
I like Joseph Stanley’s idea of helping people worry less about terrorism by placing it in perspective with other risks (“Fight terrorism: throw a party,” Sept. 21, p. 26). But reminding government that we are watching carefully is too important to be undermined by cheap shots and half-baked ideas. Don’t just give us a dirty laundry list of negative conclusions. We need to help each other think more clearly.
“Don’t get me started on the hypocritical assault on our civil liberties”? No, please start and finish. Please don’t assume we’ve all been able to sit down and absorb all that’s been going on. Don’t just use name-calling; show us the inconsistency between stated reasons and goals on the one hand and hard evidence of contrary actions on the other.
I agree that a large part of the U.S. public is doing exactly what the terrorists want. They’re worrying. But if all we do is withdraw into isolation, we’ll only be doing what was tried after the trauma of World War I.
I do like the party idea for people sick with worry. But we need to get together across the ideological lines that have formed because these isolated groups are getting inbred in their thinking. If we don’t have to face the news alone or only with people who see it the same way, it won’t be so hard to take. I’ll make pizza.
– Bill Lemmond