Salon | Letters to the editor

_______________CORRECTION:

In the "Five Fruity Flavors," we mistakenly reported that "the once-ballyhooed Rhapsody operating system seemed to have been sidelined (perhaps quietly incorporated into the server)." In fact, the new Mac OS X Server is based on Rhapsody.
We also erroneously reported that Steve Jobs ran his demo of Mac OS X Server on a Powerbook; in fact, it was a PowerMac G3. Additionally, OpenGL is not currently included in the new G3, but it will be incorporated into future versions of the Mac OS. We regret these mistakes.

_______________UNSPUN: LET THE CULTURE WAR RAGE BY STEVE ERICKSON (01/06/99)

Steve Erickson's article was right on! It was what I've vainly been longing to read in the rest of our tepid media. I have felt strongly ever since my president was impeached that only a full trial -- however long it takes -- will expiate the demons from Washington, for better or worse. Let the country and the world see the slimy underbelly of the religious right: Only by exposing them to full daylight in a thorough Senate trial will their rantings become unavoidably obvious. Let the ignoramuses who swallow every one of Gary Bauer's and Tom DeLay's twisted interpretations of what it means to be an American stand out to their more fair-minded neighbors and business associates, and let them be thereby ostracized until they come to their senses and regain their hearts.
The '60s were about real values, passionately embraced. We allowed Nixon to win by articulating Americans' fears and misgivings about the alleged "excesses" of our countercultural crusade. OK, we screwed up. Let's fix it now! Our philosophy is gloriously on trial. Let's find out where we really stand, and where our neighbors stand with us. The '60s are back! Party on!
-- Stanislaw Chalicki
Seattle
I agree with everything Steve Erickson says about a full trial. But, come on, his generation does not have a monopoly on this crusading spirit. Isn't that just a wee tad self important? I thought the '60s were excessive at the time, and I still think they punched holes in the social fabric which can now be exploited by, for instance, far right fanatics -- property rights groups challenging the legitimacy of government regulations come to mind. Maybe that was how it had to be, but let's have some nuance here. Boomers were not the first group to devote themselves to social justice and are not particularly on the front lines now. Academia has never recovered from the '60s, I'm not confident it ever will. In short, Erickson's decade gets mixed reviews from me.
And just because I was born in 1933 and have never smoked pot doesn't mean I'm on the other side in the cultural wars. Ken Starr makes my skin crawl, too. Geezers and biddies favor Clinton, per polls. We are the ones saying: Sex? Get over it. So. A little recognition of your elders, please.
-- Ann Baker
Rochester, N.Y.
Steve Erickson's piece on the culture war hit the nail on the head, from my point of view. The preposterous crap being pumped by "conservative" members of congress, aka mouthpieces for Pat Robertson, et al., is due for a full exposure treatment. Actual rule of law procedure, discussion of what the framers of the Constitution really meant and other things need to be fully discussed unlike the kangaroo trial b.s. that took place in the House. The Republicans continue to be driven by the religious right. This kind of extreme political agenda is not healthy for the republic. It's about time they were all exposed, and a full-blown trial in the Senate will do just that and more than likely exonerate Clinton, which will probably cause Robertson some discomfort. Yes, yes, yes, let's rumble!
-- Rich McIntosh
Although Steve Erickson makes a compelling argument for a full-blown Senate trial, I think he has misinterpreted the Constitution's very brief statement on the Senate's impeachment trial responsibilities. Erickson wrote, "When it says the Senate 'shall' conduct a trial, 'shall' does not mean 'may' but, in the parlance of the 18th century, 'will,' and by implication this suggests not an 'expeditious' hearing that sweeps matters under the rug, but an exhaustive one." Actually, the text of the Constitution never says, "the Senate shall conduct a trial." Rather, it says, "The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments." The "shall" Erickson hangs his argument on relates to the Senate's sole power in the matter of a trial. As I read it, the Constitution gives the Senate complete freedom to handle the impeachment trial in any manner it chooses. Thankfully, Erickson quickly moves beyond constitutional analysis and dives deep into the politics of the matter, where the discussion belongs to begin with.
-- Fran Diamond
Chicago
N E X T+P A G E+| More valentines for Steve Erickson; plus do most women really like to be spanked?

_______________CORRECTION:
	In the "Five Fruity Flavors," we mistakenly reported that "the once-ballyhooed Rhapsody operating system seemed to have been sidelined (perhaps quietly incorporated into the server)." In fact, the new Mac OS X Server is based on Rhapsody. We also erroneously reported that Steve Jobs ran his demo of Mac OS X Server on a Powerbook; in fact, it was a PowerMac G3. Additionally, OpenGL is not currently included in the new G3, but it will be incorporated into future versions of the Mac OS. We regret these mistakes.
_______________UNSPUN: LET THE CULTURE WAR RAGE BY STEVE ERICKSON (01/06/99)
	Steve Erickson's article was right on! It was what I've vainly been longing to read in the rest of our tepid media. I have felt strongly ever since my president was impeached that only a full trial -- however long it takes -- will expiate the demons from Washington, for better or worse. Let the country and the world see the slimy underbelly of the religious right: Only by exposing them to full daylight in a thorough Senate trial will their rantings become unavoidably obvious. Let the ignoramuses who swallow every one of Gary Bauer's and Tom DeLay's twisted interpretations of what it means to be an American stand out to their more fair-minded neighbors and business associates, and let them be thereby ostracized until they come to their senses and regain their hearts. The '60s were about real values, passionately embraced. We allowed Nixon to win by articulating Americans' fears and misgivings about the alleged "excesses" of our countercultural crusade. OK, we screwed up. Let's fix it now! Our philosophy is gloriously on trial. Let's find out where we really stand, and where our neighbors stand with us. The '60s are back! Party on! -- Stanislaw Chalicki Seattle I agree with everything Steve Erickson says about a full trial. But, come on, his generation does not have a monopoly on this crusading spirit. Isn't that just a wee tad self important? I thought the '60s were excessive at the time, and I still think they punched holes in the social fabric which can now be exploited by, for instance, far right fanatics -- property rights groups challenging the legitimacy of government regulations come to mind. Maybe that was how it had to be, but let's have some nuance here. Boomers were not the first group to devote themselves to social justice and are not particularly on the front lines now. Academia has never recovered from the '60s, I'm not confident it ever will. In short, Erickson's decade gets mixed reviews from me. And just because I was born in 1933 and have never smoked pot doesn't mean I'm on the other side in the cultural wars. Ken Starr makes my skin crawl, too. Geezers and biddies favor Clinton, per polls. We are the ones saying: Sex? Get over it. So. A little recognition of your elders, please. -- Ann Baker Rochester, N.Y. Steve Erickson's piece on the culture war hit the nail on the head, from my point of view. The preposterous crap being pumped by "conservative" members of congress, aka mouthpieces for Pat Robertson, et al., is due for a full exposure treatment. Actual rule of law procedure, discussion of what the framers of the Constitution really meant and other things need to be fully discussed unlike the kangaroo trial b.s. that took place in the House. The Republicans continue to be driven by the religious right. This kind of extreme political agenda is not healthy for the republic. It's about time they were all exposed, and a full-blown trial in the Senate will do just that and more than likely exonerate Clinton, which will probably cause Robertson some discomfort. Yes, yes, yes, let's rumble! -- Rich McIntosh Although Steve Erickson makes a compelling argument for a full-blown Senate trial, I think he has misinterpreted the Constitution's very brief statement on the Senate's impeachment trial responsibilities. Erickson wrote, "When it says the Senate 'shall' conduct a trial, 'shall' does not mean 'may' but, in the parlance of the 18th century, 'will,' and by implication this suggests not an 'expeditious' hearing that sweeps matters under the rug, but an exhaustive one." Actually, the text of the Constitution never says, "the Senate shall conduct a trial." Rather, it says, "The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments." The "shall" Erickson hangs his argument on relates to the Senate's sole power in the matter of a trial. As I read it, the Constitution gives the Senate complete freedom to handle the impeachment trial in any manner it chooses. Thankfully, Erickson quickly moves beyond constitutional analysis and dives deep into the politics of the matter, where the discussion belongs to begin with. -- Fran Diamond Chicago N E X T+P A G E+\| More valentines for Steve Erickson; plus do most women really like to be spanked?