A Spratling smattering
I'm not sure if Eric Spratling of The State Press realizes this, but both political parties are equally rude to each other. In Spratling's Oct. 21 article, "Who brought the weird guy?" he uses the terms "crazies," "complete idiots," "Looney Tunes," "simply batshit" and "dementia," when referring to liberals.
That's fine with me, but not when he's complaining that they're disrespectful to conservatives.
When I was in the background of MSNBC last Wednesday night (by the Memorial Union), there were quite a few liberals hollering inappropriate things, but the same goes for conservatives. Some conservatives yelled to Ron Reagan, "Ron, your father is turning in his grave." Who says something like that to someone else?
It was only Bush supporters who were actually booing the other side, and not the other way around. Some Bush supporters at the rally stooped so low as to make fun of other peoples' teeth, just because they disagreed on politics.
Those are just a few comments I heard. I usually walked the other way when the comments got out of hand on either side.
As for Sen. John Kerry mentioning Christopher Reeve, that was at the St. Louis debate when Reeve was still alive. Not to mention that Reeve called Kerry that night.
Even so, Eric, I do enjoy your work, so keep it up.
--Helene Nehrebecki,
ASU student
I completely understand Eric Spratling's frustration because of all the "weird guys," but he failed to mention the "weird guys" from his side of the bank. How would you like to spend seven and a half hours surrounded by raving Bush supporters who call you a baby-killer, a faggot and a terrorist all while being hit by a 2-by-4 just because you're holding a Kerry sign?
This is just a taste of what the Young Democrats had to go through when the College Republicans and the Bush-Cheney campaign brought in the most violent and chauvinistic protestors from California, Nevada and Minnesota.
I realize that the College Republicans and the Bush-Cheney campaign were not encouraging the protesters to act through violence, but it is ignorant to believe, much less print, that the hostile protestors only came from the Democratic side.
Before Eric judges the other side, he should tend to his own.
--Jennifer B. Paez,
ASU student
I enjoy reading Eric's right-wing drivel. I would like to make a statement for the left in response to Eric's statements. First, we liberals only hate Bush and his faulty administration. We do not hate Israel, capitalism, Jesus and especially not America. We love our country because it is the best in the world. We just want it held to the highest standard so it will always be the best. We feel questions are good and like them to be answered truthfully ...
Second, laugh a little. Bush and Dick jokes are funny, just like Lewinsky jokes.
--Alex Forbes,
marketing senior
Hanson disrespected, not disproved
When I read Tom Reade's letter to the editor on Oct. 21, I was shocked. Not only by the obvious bias so ... evident in the letter, but also for the misguided attack on a person I know to be an incredibly dedicated and intelligent student.
Reade claims Macy Hanson was discredited for writing a racist column and disparaging the memory of a dead African-American, when in fact the column in question was a discussion of the use of that man's death as a political tool. The response from the man's daughter, in my opinion, failed to discredit Hanson, as it spent more sentences (six) condemning George W. Bush than it did explaining what exactly made Hanson a racist (zero).
To accuse Hanson of sinking below levels of thought and dignity reveals Reade's ignorance.
--George McAleese,
ASU student
