One thing I love to read in the paper is the letters to the editor. (I now read them online as giving money to the Times is suddenly not that worthwhile for me.) I ran across this letter today.
To the Editor:
I was near the finish line of the New York City Marathon on Sunday afternoon. There was a huge TV monitor so people could see themselves coming into the home stretch and a band playing. Some of us were looking up in awe at a hawk perched on a lamppost.
A police officer was speaking into a bullhorn urging runners on, telling them they could do it, they could accomplish what they started. There were runners and onlookers from all over the world.
I had a similar feeling of community last week when everyone was out on the street at 10:30 one night gazing at the eclipse of the moon.
Those "red" states could do a lot worse than to take a page out of the "book" that is New York City. We New Yorkers have our differences and our difficulties, but we revel in opportunities that unite us - we crave them. This is in sharp contrast to those who sparked and promoted divisiveness in the recent election campaign.New York City thrives on its diversity. It sets a great example!
Olivia Koppell
Bronx, Nov. 7, 2004
I hate to burst Olivia's bubble, but I was at the marathon on Sunday here in New York, and I've been to a marathon in a "red" state, and I can't say that the atmosphere was much different. It might also be worth noting that a great number of those people yelling encouragement might have been from "red" states too, or worse, gasp, voted for Bush right here in New York. What does politics have to do with the marathon? Why did the Times publish this?
I have failed to discover how the left hating Bush is Bush's fault, can someone explain it to me?
Bubba
3 comments:
As is typical of many liberal minded folks, the innate desire to somehow prove that those who are left leaning are as good as or somehow better than those who are not has no boundaries within logic. As you pointed out, the marathon itself has absolutely nothing to do with the elections nor does it reflect the attitudes or differences between red and blue states, yet here you have someone who has that "special" knowledge and insite, telling us that the marathon is some type of metaphor for reality itself. Amazing!
Since the election, people have found many excuses for hating Bush and accusing non-Bush-haters of being divisive, very few are legitimate. The very people who preach and profess tolerance and shame those who "hate" are guilty of insurmountable intolerance and extreme hatred themselves.
Nice blog Bubba, so far so good. Welcome to the blogosphere!
As is typical of many liberal minded folks, the innate desire to somehow prove that those who are left leaning are as good as or somehow better than those who are not has no boundaries within logic. As you pointed out, the marathon itself has absolutely nothing to do with the elections nor does it reflect the attitudes or differences between red and blue states, yet here you have someone who has that "special" knowledge and insite, telling us that the marathon is some type of metaphor for reality itself. Amazing!
Since the election, people have found many excuses for hating Bush and accusing non-Bush-haters of being divisive, very few are legitimate. The very people who preach and profess tolerance and shame those who "hate" are guilty of insurmountable intolerance and extreme hatred themselves.
Nice blog Bubba, so far so good. Welcome to the blogosphere!
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