Spring Break
Reader responds to Larrivee's letter
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
To the Cigar,
I am a person not easily amused by the world of politics and political preaching; as President Ronald Regan once aptly described, "politics is the second oldest profession."
Though I look with passive contempt upon the political world because of all its boisterous, emotional serfs, I have had occasion to allow myself to be entertained by the more impassioned advocates in the political zoo. They allow themselves to, in what I'm sure had the best, most-honorable of intentions, let their enthusiasm, and the perceived reasonability of their messages, get the better of them - effectively writing passages that could only be considered by the authors themselves to be rational or even sensible.
One such casualty was a letter I read in yesterday's Cigar, entitled, "Reader Pleads with Students." In retrospect, I am astounded either that someone had the shamelessness to submit such a politically-charged piece on such a somber day of remembrance, or, acknowledging that the author did not have say in the date of publication, that the Cigar chose to even publish it; after all, barring the aforementioned significance of the date, the only difference between Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 is 24 hours.
My review of the letter: It was short (good thing, too), and reminded me of the days in middle school when providing substance in a political essay was optional.
Though it was obvious that the letter was going to jab at my persuasions, there was nothing immediately "objectionable" about the first paragraph, besides the idealist, Disney-esque "I'm not in a popularity contest; I just love America" message.
Little red flags went up, but all in all I thought, "I can 'dig' it, let's see what you've got."
The second paragraph began with a quite-certain theme: "Your party played a mean trick on you all." Given Sen. John McCain's scoffing at my conservatism throughout his campaign and his support from most of the Republican brass, I was about to say "damn straight."
I am a person not easily amused by the world of politics and political preaching; as President Ronald Regan once aptly described, "politics is the second oldest profession."
Though I look with passive contempt upon the political world because of all its boisterous, emotional serfs, I have had occasion to allow myself to be entertained by the more impassioned advocates in the political zoo. They allow themselves to, in what I'm sure had the best, most-honorable of intentions, let their enthusiasm, and the perceived reasonability of their messages, get the better of them - effectively writing passages that could only be considered by the authors themselves to be rational or even sensible.
One such casualty was a letter I read in yesterday's Cigar, entitled, "Reader Pleads with Students." In retrospect, I am astounded either that someone had the shamelessness to submit such a politically-charged piece on such a somber day of remembrance, or, acknowledging that the author did not have say in the date of publication, that the Cigar chose to even publish it; after all, barring the aforementioned significance of the date, the only difference between Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 is 24 hours.
My review of the letter: It was short (good thing, too), and reminded me of the days in middle school when providing substance in a political essay was optional.
Though it was obvious that the letter was going to jab at my persuasions, there was nothing immediately "objectionable" about the first paragraph, besides the idealist, Disney-esque "I'm not in a popularity contest; I just love America" message.
Little red flags went up, but all in all I thought, "I can 'dig' it, let's see what you've got."
The second paragraph began with a quite-certain theme: "Your party played a mean trick on you all." Given Sen. John McCain's scoffing at my conservatism throughout his campaign and his support from most of the Republican brass, I was about to say "damn straight."
