Communication
Contributions from readers who didn't object to having
their email published in Vagabond Pages.
Sometimes I don't receive an answer to my request to publish a letter and I don't know how to interpret it. So I've decided to simplify things and not oblige readers to answer. The most recent letters are at the top of the page.
If you have written to Vagabond and were not published or acknowledged, be informed that we are experiencing some email difficulties. Please try again at our Vagabond Pages address or at our hotmail address WM
Misspoke or Lied? ...,
Science Fiction ...
Don Imus, the oddball radio host, makes a racist comment and we now have 24 hour coverage and interviews of every human being who has ever been interviewed on CNN. Every writer who ever had an opinion on any topic has written at least a paragraph about him. He's obliged to apologize in every forum, big sponsors are dropping out of his program and he's been suspended for two weeks, perhaps forever from broadcasting. Meanwhile, Senator McCain goes to Baghdad and visits a market in the company of 100 (not televised) military, with sharpshooters on the corner buildings and helicopters hovering overhead and when he's back in the U.S. he tells a bald faced LIE to the reporters. He says things are better than ever in Baghdad and he was able to walk freely. When he was challenged on this he said he "misspoke."
"Of course, I am going to misspeak and I've done it on numerous occasions and I probably will do it in the future. I regret that when I divert attention to something I said from my message, but you know, that's just life."
Why is he allowed to get away with this? Why are all the leaders of this Iraq war allowed to get away with their lies? Why doesn't the press challenge the words "misspoke"? Why is McCain allowed to say he "misspoke"? Where is the schoolteacher who told us, "I hate a liar" Why doesn't some reporter tell him, "Senator McCain you lied. Now please explain why you lied to us. What is the reason you lied to us." But no. Twenty four hour coverage of a racist comment, 24 hour coverage of a runaway bride, 24 hour coverage of whose DNA made Anna Nicole Smith's baby. And McCain is allowed to say he "misspoke." Yes, and Bush said "mistakes were made." They are all allowed to get away with murder. Literally.
Nikole
nikolej@sympatico.ca
Dear William
Your article about science fiction, "A Look Into the Universal", reminded me of "Way of the Samurai" from the July 2000 issue and "Star Trek" from the January 96 issue. In "Way of the Samurai", you wrote about the Samurai's poetry of war, "one of those monumental 'holy books' which, when put together, form one universal book of life." Probably, you could include much of science fiction in this category.
D. Smatana
smatana_d@lycos.com
Back to the index of the Vagabond
© Copyright 2007 
William Markiewicz
