[Read "Casualties of Victory," by Stephanie Booth.]
Compliments to Stephanie Booth for her fair and compassionate treatment of the Griffin family. Booth's depiction of the Griffins' patriotism and their efforts to prevent their tragedy from being slanted by an anti-government agenda spoke volumes.
She conveyed both the loss of the Griffin family, and a nagging doubt about the war, without resorting to manipulative positioning and editorializing.
I also believe that Mr. Griffin, in his suspicion of the media, represents the view of many Americans. Although I consider myself a liberal, I'm often offended by the patronizing and condescending attitude of liberal academics and politicians toward patriotic, working-class Americans with conservative views.
Congratulations to Salon for wising up.
-- Jennifer Tafe
I respect deeply your efforts at exposing the truth on so many issues; how sad it is that we must search so hard for it amongst so many lies and twists. What disturbs me is the common separation of the number of those killed in action, failing to mention the real important number: those killed overall. I feel rather certain those families holding the 273 funerals (so far) haven't made the same distinction ... It's not "179" or "135" or "since May 1st..." It's "273 and counting."
-- David Shipley
As the wife of an (Australian) army officer, I just want to say thanks for your balanced reporting on this issue. Luckily, last time my husband was away, there was media support for what he was doing (East Timor). But it was still hard -- five-minute phone calls once a week if you are lucky, not knowing where he is or what he is doing, and trying not to even contemplate what you would do if he doesn't come back. I am not saying I agree or disagree with the intervention in Iraq, but my heart goes out to those left behind. Sometimes, it is just as hard being at home not knowing, than being in field.
-- Natalia
I understand the need of a parent to rationalize the death of their child and to believe that he died for some greater cause. I don't want them to lose that. With respect to their lost son, it's pretty much all they have.
Still, this doesn't prevent me from the painful anger I feel every time I read about grieving parents. Every time I do, I can't help feeling that George W. Bush killed that kid. He killed him for political gain. He killed him for economic gain. He stole the presidency and then proceeded to kill, kill and kill some more.
We must wake up, forget about what the corrupt broadcast media tries to sell us, and throw these madmen out!
-- Bill Batten
[Read "A Plague Grows in Brooklyn," by Christopher Ketcham.]
I was pretty bummed out when I read Mr. Ketcham's piece on the rat infestation near the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. As a fellow resident of Ninth Street, seven blocks up the hill in the direction of Prospect Park (Park Slope), I was saddened that a fellow Brooklynite would see fit to air such dirty laundry in a nationally read magazine. What picture might people conjure up from reading something like this? Maybe in the midst of his icky article he could have taken some time to mention Brooklyn's rich history, beautiful architecture, and many great neighborhoods not overflowing with filth and reeking of excrement, but instead blossoming with art, music, great food, and beautiful parks and flickering gaslit gardens?
-- Vanessa Beatriz Soto
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