RETRO SALLY
Re: Pia de Solenni’s If Mothers Ruled the World:
With regard to the ridiculous rant from Ms. Field, I’m afraid she is WAY OFF BASE. Having worked in prisons for more than 17 years, I can attest that women fight far more often than men do — and often over the most trivial matters.
— B. Snell
I called Roche today to voice my reaction to Sally Field’s encore psychotic break. The last being when she got an Oscar for Norma Rae — “You like, you reeeely llike me.”
The flak-catcher’s response was, “Well, she has a right to her opinion…” The other explanation, regarding Sally’s Boniva commercials, is “she is an advocate for osteoporosis.” I said, “Yeah, and back when she was making Smokey and the Bandit movies with Burt Reynolds she was an advocate for free love and nickel beer — and doesn’t “advocate” mean she is in favor of osteoporosis?”
I suggested if they wanted a woman spouting obscenities and trashing the military effort in Iraq, they could probably buy incoherence cheaper by hiring Cindy Sheehan.
And I left them with this thought: What does it profit a woman to have strong bones if she has a lame brain?
— Diane Smith
South San Francisco, California
Most regrettably, Sally Field got it right and Pia de Solenni got it wrong. If mothers ruled all Western democracies (a slight but real world refinement of Ms. Field’s statement), there would indeed be no wars, because all Western democracies would be prostrate before all incarnations of evil, and would indeed, to resurrect a phrase from antiquity, rather be red (or Muslim) than dead.
White men have not voted in the majority for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964. They always get it right. The most regrettable and statistically inevitable converse is that women as a group almost always get it wrong. Hence Ms. Field, in a bizarre twist of reason, gets it
right. And if you need a little less polemics and a little more documentation of the implications of women’s suffrage, get a copy of John Lott’s Freedomnomics.
Don’t get me wrong. There is no better sight or sound to a male conservative’s senses than an Ann Coulter or Laura Ingraham or Michelle Malkin. But they are in a distinct minority, once again as per Ms. Field.
— Frank Natoli
Newton, New Jersey
Although both Michele Malkin and Pia de Solenni were right on in regards to Sally Fields and her “Feminist Mothers,” they both left out a very important factor which truly explains just how cowardly and predictable Sally and her ilk are. So, please allow me to ask the questions that no one seems to want to ask. Sally, Susan Sarandon, Cindy Sheehan, Hillary Clinton, etc., etc., if you truly care for the “children,” where are your cries of outrage for the over 45 MILLION babies who have been slaughtered in the womb? Where is the MOTHERLY INSTINCT to protect the most innocent and defenseless, those babies in the womb? When will we hear you shrieking in disgust and horror because not only are these babies subjected to horrific pain before they die, they are then tossed in garbage bins or flushed down drains? Yup, that’s right Sally, no proper or decent burials for these “innocent children”
When Sally, Hillary, and the Susans of the world get on the stage to cry foul for the unborn, well then maybe I’ll believe they care for the “children.” Until then Sally, well right now I really, really don’t believe you. Really.
— Joellen M. Arrabito
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey
It does not matter the sex of our President as long as there is some backbone. This mom is tired of Iran pushing us around and killing our sons and daughters and I would try and put a stop to it.
I am also tried of the welfare moms that keep having kids just to get an increase in their government checks. After the first child there should not be any increases in money…want to bet this would put a stop to most of these unwanted children.
If the last choice is going to war then it should not be a PC war with all the foolish rules our soldiers have to put up with. It should be win and get out.
— Elaine Kyle
Sally Field is a typical Hollywood dingbat who makes an ass out of herself whenever speaking on politics, religion, culture, or anything of substance. Heck, this so-called “professional” actress couldn’t even get off her little hysterical rant without flubbing it.
The best laugh is when these airheads posture to solve the world’s problems and to mock the intelligence of President Bush. Then you look at their background and find that they are at best high school graduates — from public schools no less.
— Peter Skurkiss
Stow, Ohio
I have heard the words of Sally Field spew out of the mouths of many equally doltish men and women over the years.
Next time I hear a similar pronouncement I will ask them if women alone can prevent wars by whatever “witchcraft” they possess perhaps they can explain why boys raised by single mothers are many more times likely to do drugs, join gangs and commit violent crimes.
— Don Herion
Although I agree with Ms. de Solenni’s article, I must ask: When Ms. Fields shouted that “if mothers ruled the world, there would be no xxx wars,” was she thinking about the mothers of those Islamic fanatics that insist on blowing themselves and anybody around them, even when these nut jobs are in their early childhood years? Have not these women declared that their biggest wish is for their children to kill innocent unarmed men, women and children?
Can you get more peaceful than that?
Ms. de Solenni wrote it quite well: little women should no be bothered with big themes…
— Dario Giraldo
Cypress, Texas
I am so thankful you wrote about Ms. Field’s remarks in TAS. I have spent most of the week being livid over them, then I got busy. As the mother of a Sp.Ops pilot I called Roche Labs and GlaxoSmithKline and let them have it. The woman on the phone was snippy and told me Ms. Fields had a “right” to speak her mind. I told her sure she did, my son and other sons and daughters fought for her right to speak. Where Ms. Fields crossed the line was bringing her private mind to a public gathering. As a paid spokesperson for a drug company she has an international pulpit.
Here then is the letter I sent to Roche. I am determined to get Ms. Fields “dumped” from her highly paid position. I ask loyal TAS readers to join my campaign to rid her from her day job.
Greetings,
I am the mother of a serving pilot participating in our War on Terror. He will be leaving shortly for another tour. I want you to know this straightway because of the context for which I am writing.
Recently, your SPOKESPERSON, Ms. Sally Fields, your Boniva gal, spoke at the TV Emmy’s. While free as an American to speak, she is your paid representative. By speaking in the manner she did in public forum she endangers our fighting men and women, by giving encouragement to our enemies, who have sworn to defeat us.
I am writing to ask you to dump Ms. Fields and find another spokesperson for this fine drug. I am sure there are many American women with Osteoporosis who could speak more intelligently both on camera in commercials, and off camera in public.
I will personally undertake a phone campaign and writing campaign to unseat Ms. Fields from her highly paid position by your company, or if you do not, I will undertake letting all my friends and as many physicians as I can reach, to not prescribe or take any of your drugs, including Boniva, or other well known drugs, like Tamiflu.
We live in a free country because of those who place their lives on the line everyday. Ms. Fields has freedom to speak because of those who fight and die. But as a paid spokesperson she should have remembered who pays her and chosen to keep her comments to herself.
— Beverly F. Gunn
Mother of serving pilot
If women ruled the world, there would be no war?
Indira Gandhi. Golda Meir. Margaret Thatcher.
‘Nuff said.
— Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York
BASE LINES
Re: George H. Wittman’s We’re Staying Put:
It’s like deja vu all over again.
When President Bush spoke to the American people the day after the Gen. Petraeus-Amb Crocker testimony, he missed the mark. His reference to an “enduring strategic relationship” just didn’t cut the mustard. Instead, he should have dove into the weeds and prepped the masses on the real skinny — permanent basing.
He would have never made the “strategic relationship” comment unless he had already received a head-nod from the Iraqi leadership in advance. Therefore, the long-term plan is already in the bag — a la UK, German, Japanese, Philippine, and South Korean forward basing that quell those countries’ troubles from past events in the ’40s and ’50s. And he should have taken advantage of that fact during the speech.
You say you don’t understand why the elites’ thongs are in a bunch over this issue? It is because they think (or should I say, feel) with emotion, and do not think with logic and reasoning (or should I say, the adult way of doing business). An objective analysis will immediate tell the observer that permanent basing is the logical conclusion to a 4-1/2 year conflict (and yes, it was a conflict, not a war). On the other hand, for those who prefer a subjective (or liberal) analysis, the result will point towards an imperialistic intention.
If the latter is the case, then let me ask you just one question: what physical piece of land has the U.S. added to its geographical make-up since Hawaii was added to the Union? That’s what I thought. For those who prefer the former type of analysis, go to the head of the class.
— Owen H. Carneal, Jr.
Yorktown, Virginia
Don’t forget Balad Air Base. Second only to Heathrow in take offs and landings in the world. It’s becoming one of the largest air force bases in the world. And there’s a new $592 million dollar U.S. Embassy going in. Plus the Army Corps of Engineers have been building up all the power grids and water systems. Where does everyone think we’re going? Think South Korea. Plus, if you google Balad, one of the first stories you find is how our base hospital treats all the locals.
We’ll be visiting Baghdad as tourists in five years.
— John P.
Elmhurst, Illinois
IN FOCUS
Re: The Washington Prowler’s Dobson’s Choice:
So, James Dobson accused Fred Thompson of not being a Christian? How charitable of him. That’s OK, though: I think James Dobson is a foul and wretched heretic. Though our ballots may often move in the same direction, that is due to mere coincidence, and I would no sooner have him tend to my soul than I would Al Sharpton. I have often said that the only thing wrong with the Treaty of Westphalia was that we failed to finish off people like him when we had the chance.
There you go, Jim: winning friends and influencing people. Feel better now? I sure do. Confession is good for the soul.
— Stephen Foulard
Houston, Texas
Your Prowler’s Friday notations on the ultra sanctimonious and condescension specialist (unless you disagree and/or are standing in his way) James Dobson would have been semi amusing, had it not been for his typical tactic of lipping off and barging in where uninvited. Clumsy too.
I’m a Deist who’s not backing Fred Thompson and will probably vote for Rudy Giuliani — but it’s the manner in which Dobson inserts himself that becomes so appalling. Candidly, his leaks suck. And like Pat Robertson, Jesse Jackson, Jerry Falwell, Al Sharpton and Jimmy Swaggart, he makes my skin crawl.
No “small-government Republican” he (for that matter, these days I’m unable to recall anyone other than Oklahoma’s Coburn and Inhofe), Dobson would flood the land with his moralistic pontificating and push for more intrusive laws, like banning the “Morning After” pill; one California congressman already tried. Reminds one of the GOP panderer who got the Anti-Internet Wagering bill passed (Goodlatte and some other obnoxious folk catering to the Baptist bunch perhaps?) while the government enjoys Off Track Betting, lotsa Lottos, and Bingo night with all the members of the congregation(s).
Can you say “Double Standards?” Can you say Hypocrisy? It’s all against what previous Republicans advocated: smaller, more efficient, less costly government, not interfering with individual freedom. Barry Goldwater would have a case of the terminal vapors if he were to see what those clowns have done since his demise. James Dobson and his advocates make me want to puke — and I guess that’s why I’ve become an independent of the semi-Libertarian type; I didn’t leave the GOP. It left me. And with weasels like Trent Lott, wimpy Dubya (caving in to most Politically Correct garbage), and those others afraid or unable to stand up to the likes of Pat Leahy, Teddy Kennedy, Dick Durbin, Hillary R. Clinton, grungy Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, we’re in a world of serious hurt. Thoroughly sickening!
— Geoff Brandt
As usual you got this wrong about Dobson. He is not some political animal. You were wrong about Jack and now about Fred. I have personally heard from him that he did not say that Fred was not a Christian. He did not know if he was. And he was not supporting anyone as of yet. That is a far cry from no support for Fred or that he was not a Christian. Please stop trying to rehash old non stories.
— Joseph D’Ambrosia
This just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? Well, not really. When I responded to this in the March 30, 2007 Reader Mail (under “Dobson’s Devilishness”), I suggested evangelicals would do well to learn to think for themselves. Ditto that! It seems to me that Dr. Dobson should get back to his child psychology practice, and leave politics to the grown-ups. Of course, it’s HIS choice.
Fred ’08!
— Mike Showalter
Austin, Texas
DANDY DAN
Re: Jay D. Homnick’s Rather Gets a New Suit:
Jay Homnick has it just right. It’s personal with Dan. But first, Dan’s lawsuit is an irresistible goodie. It’s probably worth 5 mill minimum with 2 mill going to the lawyers. And the lawyers probably took the suit on contingency, no outlay from Dan. Does anyone know anyone whom would turn down 3 million dollars? But Dan was in the wrong you say and can’t win. Well Dan knows a lot about CBS business and monkey business. It would cost the better part of 5 mill for CBS to defend, so why not settle? And the real goodie is a “Na na na na nah” from Dan to President Bush and his family with whom he has had an antagonistic relationship going back at least to Bush 41.
The oddity of this whole scenario is that politics for Dan and President Bush are almost at their end. But Dan, like most Democrats, dislikes Bush so much that he can’t stop opposing him. It’s galling for Dan to know that people know Bush is a better man than he. Dan could get over his loss but can’t stand being a loser. A legend in his own mind, Dan will find he needs more than a lawsuit to turn his life into the tragedy he perceives.
— Howard Lohmuller
Seabrook, Texas
You mean Rather has ’em on the run at CBS? Les Moonves is as nervous as a pregnant fox in a forest fire? Oh, no, now I recall. It was a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rockin’ chairs. Thanks to Jay Homnick for revisiting for us the laughable and unreal Texas colloquialisms endured during the Rather embarrassing years.
I am from Texas and we never talked like that in Dallas.
— Diane Smith
South San Francisco California
Well, it now appears that upon being fired, ole Dan was spending much of his free time in his bath robe at the computer, deep in the MoveOn swamp. So now, conveniently, some three years later, sufficient time for a dose of historical revisionism, Dan fires away at CBS and corporate America, who cowered to the frightening George Bush. If only it were true that somebody on the Left was afraid of Bush; but alas, it’s only in Dan’s fertile mind.
So, the man dedicated to asking selected “hard questions,” like Ahab, couldn’t leave a picked over carcass of an old story alone; despite knowing that Bush was released early from his obligation, due to a surplus of pilots at the end of the war. If Mr. Rather wasn’t such a partisan hack, he wouldn’t have considered Bill Burkett a credible source. If he was truly a “just the facts” journalist, a REAL story was begging to be exposed; like maybe asking John Kerry the “hard questions,” raised by truly credible sources, John O’Neill and the Swift Boat Vets, who were asking questions way back in 1971, long before Kerry’s presidential campaign.
So Dan, good luck with your law suit. Oh, to be a lawyer for CBS. Some lawyers have all the fun, asking the “hard questions.”
— A. DiPentima
Where can I get some of the stuff that Dan Rather has been smoking?
— Christopher Holland
Canberra, Australia
TOUR TURNOFF
Re: Lawrence Henry’s The Tiger Setup:
Thank to Lawrence Henry for his excellent analysis/critique/expose of this year’s inaugural FedEx Cup Playoff as part of the PGA Tour. It is the best and clearest description of and commentary on the new competition I have read.
As a PGA Tour fan, I’ve found the FedEx Playoff to be an immense turnoff. Not only were the points system and “seeding” somewhat difficult to understand and follow (for me, anyway), the bigger turnoff was the multi-layer competition that seemed to detract from the competitive intensity of the PGA Tour. Listening to the television commentators, it became difficult to judge which competition I was watching, or which was more important, the day’s or the Playoff’s. I would be happy to see the program scrapped.
I hope some of the top-tier players do opt out. They don’t need the money and they don’t need to prove themselves. And they don’t need to pimp for the PGA or for Federal Express.
— Diane Shomper
Wilmington, Delaware
FAITH IN ALBANIA
Re: Christopher Orlet’s Tirana on the Mississippi:
Thank-you for the warm and truthful article “Tirana on the Mississippi” by Christopher Orlet. It is true what is said about religions in Albania. I, myself am an Evangelical Christian, my brother is Catholic, my sister Baptist, my mom Gnostic and my father is an Atheist. There are no other people in the world that I love more. This is true for every family in Albania. My grandparents were Greek Orthodox and Muslim. Why would there be a problem with it?
I cannot fathom how people would try to achieve purity and closeness to God by harming others?!?! Religious strife is a new phenomena, brought about from outside. The same guys that force Iraqi framers to place boxers on their goats because it is offensive to them, come in the Balkans with their fist full of dollars trying to impose the same.
— Orest Mushi
Let’s get the obligatory statement over that I’m sure there are good and bad Albanians just as in every group of people. This is such a romantic account of Albanians in general that I can hear the folk music in the background. Now to reality. Albanians are in Kosovo which belongs to Serbia because they want and have always pursued the dream of a Greater Albania. While they are romanticized here, they wore the uniforms of Germany in WWI and Nazi Germany in WWII
Lately, Albanians have become big drug runners in the world and indeed some would say Clinton used our Air Force to bomb Serbia, our ally in two world wars, to provide cover for Albanian drug runners.
Spurred on by the KLA, Muslim Albanians began to slit the throats of Serb policemen, blow up Serbian Orthodox Churches and monasteries that are over one thousand years old, as well as desecrating Serb graveyards in Kosovo.
Pass me the Albanian wine, I think I need to get drunk.
— Tom Cretella
In your article was a huge mistake about the religions and Greeks. In Albania the Orthodox are not Greeks. I’m Orthodox and Albanian, my mother is Orthodox and my father Muslim, and my girlfriend is Catholic and we are all Albanians. In the north of Albania are some Greeks who are also Orthodox, but not all the Orthodox population are Greeks. There are 76,000 Orthodox Greek in Albania, out of 680,000 Orthodox — a huge difference. I hope you correct that fact, which is very important
— Omar Abdullah Gjonmarkaj
I’m a reporter in Albanian TV “Top-Channel,” I am Albanian, I THANK YOU
— Erion Todhe
SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE
Re: Andrew Cline’s Hard to Swallow:
MOMMYCARE
Nurse Hillary is coming to take us away
To the Land of MommyCare.
Doctors and Dentists of her choosing
Will make all our decisions there.
We’ll get used to queuing up for things,
Carry proof that we’re insured.
Without that precious Hillary card
No job will be assured.
Happy days are here again. Put your thumb back in your mouth.
Let Mommy plan your life for you. Your freedom is going South.
— Mimi Evans Winship
DASTARDLY DEEDS
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.’s My Costly Wisecrack:
I didn’t know we were approaching an anniversary! Not only is it the founding of your magnificent magazine, but also the nonsense surrounding your nefarious “Arkansas Project,” you dastard! Seriously, I have been a faithful fan of your efforts since I was a bored undergrad at Manhattan College in NYC, when I discovered the ONLY magazine in the U.S. that not only distilled what I felt, but did it with a extraordinary sense of humor! I’ve archived the old tabloid Spectators for posterity– granted, they’re in my parents’ garage — but they can serve as source material to inform the public of Hillary’s loose relationship with the law if need be!
Thanks again for providing decades of laughs and information
— JP
RET: Eaton’s 1st law, a law to which there is no corollary: “Loneliness is a small price to pay for tranquility.” Sometimes, solitary looks almost inviting.
— J.C. Eaton
Wisconsin
