BuzzFlash Mailbag for October 14, 2009

BUZZFLASH MAILBAG

[Editor's note: For those who have been writing in on the subject, you can now click on "Classic BuzzFlash" to get the home page in the same way it has been for almost 10 years. Just go to the bar at the top of the page.]

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Subject: Gay Rights

With "friends" like Shirley Jackson in Portland, OR, the gay community needs no enemies. I would like to ask her just how long she would like me to wait for full equality. I came out in '69 at the age of 24 and have been patiently waiting and waiting and waiting for them. I figure, if I'm lucky, I "might" attain full equality if I live long enough but I'm not counting on it.

So, Ms Jackson, in your infinite wisdom, please advise me and my gay brothers and sisters exactly when the President won't have his plate so full of other more important things that he can take the time (the stroke of a pen) to end DADT and take the lead in repealing the odious DOMA.

In the meantime you might look a little deeper within yourself and realize that when a minority doesn't have equal rights it diminishes the majority. Women in this country couldn't vote until 1920. Do you find that acceptable in a democracy? It's people in our party like you that hold us all back. Sorry, but I had to say it.

Steve Moore
Camptonville, CA

Subject: Required health insirance

I've been off work for almost a week with severe stomach flu, self-diagnosed.

Why self- diagnosed? I do not have health insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor right now. That is, if I want to keep the lights and phone working and have a roof over my head.

And I read that many of the Bizarro "Health reform" bills will require me to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty.

Read what I wrote above, how can I expect to do either?

Congress, if I could AFFORD health insurance, I would have it. Prove you're smarter than a first grader before you ask for my vote again.

Mike Curtis
Greenbrier Ark

Subject: "Big Drama" = DUMB POLITICS

I see Buzzflash as usual, cannot resist slapping a Republican who did the right thing. If Sen. Snowe made her health care vote into "big drama", so what? It's bad energy to put the snark out there. If Buzzflash wants to change the world REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOR and leave the faint praise in your hip pocket because it's dumb.

Maezeppa
LA

Subject: obama the antichrist...?!

Hi, Buzz!!

When is the Religious Right going to stop reading the Left Behind series and start reading the Bible instead - especially since they all claim to be so devoted to it?

The whole "dispensational" thing is based on a flawed reading of Revelation (the book's title is singular, not plural). In fact, I don't think any systematic interpretation of that book is possible without ignoring large parts of it; it's that difficult. What it does tell me is that all the things that make people miserable are going to go away in the end: "...and God will wipe all tears from their eyes." That's enough for me; I don't need to obsess about the details.

The word "Rapture" doesn't appear in Scripture anywhere. The idea of being "caught up to meet the Lord in the air" is in one of St. Paul's letters (Philippians, I think), as well as being hinted at by Jesus ("Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken, the other left...").

The Bible nowhere suggests that any of these events - or the End of Days itself, for that matter - is anything we can have any influence over. They are entirely of God's doing, and on His timetable. So the speculation about the End being Near, or Obama being the Antichrist, or the notion that we need not take responsibility for each other or the planet because the End is Near, are not only hogwash, but perilously close to blasphemy. Jesus Himself does not know when the end will come (Matthew 24:36), and if He doesn't know, who are we to speculate?

Judgment Day is not something we can delay, or bring on. It is an event that we are to get ready for; we are to pray, worship, study, and do as Jesus told us. Sorry, C Street: That means take care of the poor, the sick, and the otherwise unfortunate.

Jane Hawes
Edmond, OK (red-state Democrat)

Subject: Left and Right

Well finally I agree with some conservative friends on something,that our government is very corrupt. But in the next sentence it becomes obvious that the problem is not shared. They believe that our problems all began about 8 months ago. They are still believers in fox hate mongers and think our financial mess was and is caused by Obama. They still think bush did a good job. What is wrong with these people?

I keep telling conservative friends (call them friends because I still want to believe there is hope,but it is useless) that the battle is between the top 1% and the lower 95% of the wealth in this nation because they are being that the top 1% owns as much as the lower 95%. The other 4% are in limbo because they think they are rich and don't want to rock the boat. The top 1% know that if the bottom 95 ever get it together they are in deep doo-do, so they keep us divided with the likes of sean insanity, rush limpdick, o'liely, vick's vapor beck. These guys are paid very big salaries to misinform the naive. And they do an excelent job.

But just look at who pays them. The top 1% controls the media. Look at health care reform. Why would the health care industry spend somewhere around 400 million in the last few months to make sure that we don't get a gov. option, let alone a single payer plan that would be advantagious to 95% of the people.

What could it possibly take to convince fox believers that they are being deceived? I think it is probably impossible. Left is right, and right is wrong, and never the twain shall meet. Here is a link that explains this a little better, but hey, at least we now agree that we have a corrupt government. http://www.examiner.com/x-9210-Boston-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m10d11-The-Treason-of-the-Senate-Bill-Moyers-explains-who-really-owns-America here's something worth watching: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23683.htm

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Stop the Hitler calling of our President

Republicans are very sick people. They dare have the word Hitler on their lips when they mention the President of the United States,our President Obama in the same sentence as Hitler! Disgraceful!

This should be reported to the authorities, because this is man, Hitler, is vile and hated throughout the world.

To compare Hitler to the President of the united States is beyond pale!Our President won the nobel Prize for Peace and deserved it, REPUBLICANS! WHAT HAVE ANY OF YOU WON????Nothing because you can't get past your hate.

This should not be allowed to go on and stopped immediatly, and the persons carrying signs or posting of Hitler should be fined. This is outrages. Where are our voices that permit Republicans to spout such ugly comments about our President. These people are lunatics and their lunacy has gone over the edge! Republican are a sorry sight,and have no right to be respected. Neither do we who let this go on without putting a stop to their lunacy.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: For Universal Health Care Single Payer Is The Indispensable Ingredient

Why? Because without a single payer option, there goes universal health care, and without universal health care, there'll still be thousands* of people who'll die every year from having no or inadequate health coverage. Cause of death? Insurance company greed. Compounding said crime, the failure of this bogus system of health care for all, assuming it passes, will sink any chance of our ever getting the real McCoy, as we can count on the rightwing media then blasting away at the public 24/7 with "Told ya so, told ya so, the government's the problem, not the solution." Worse yet the charge will stick. The answer? Our making sure sure that Congress and President Obama establish a single payer system such as Medicare for all, whereupon, empowered by our victory over the powers that be, it'll be up to us, the what sort of world. Otherwise? Doomsday, based on perpetual war + global warming + economic collapse, not to mention time's running out."

*Harvard University report, online, September 17, 2009

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Classic BuzzFlash

Oh, thank you , thank you, thank you, for restoring our beloved "Classic" Buzzflash. Now I can skim all the headlines quickly and be on with my day. I can see all the videos along the top again, too, which I couldn't with the "new and improved" version for some reason. Now I'll be contributing again.

Cyn
Philadelphia, PA

[Editor's note: For those who haven't seen the new button on our Web site, you can now click on "Classic BuzzFlash" to get the home page in the same way it has been for almost 10 years. Just go to the bar at the top of the page.]

Subject: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

I really LOVE you guys for being responsive to those of us who love the "classic" look. I shouted for joy when I discovered the link to my favorite format.

Thanks again -- you ROCK!!

Sue
Vero Beach FL

Subject: Classic Buzzflash

Thank you for offering Classic Buzzflash on your website. I will keep reading now.

Keith Nichols
Perry, Iowa

Subject: Your new site

You have now lost a faithful reader! Your new site takes way too long to load and it is much to "busy" to read! Why did you decide to fix something that wasn't broken? Good-bye!!!

Alice Nuffer
Media, PA

Subject: New Format

I do not like your new format. Before I could scroll down quickly to articles I wanted to read..now I have to wait for a "twitter scroll"... very very annonying..who designed this horror for you guys??? I will now go directly to DAILY KOS...or HUFFINGTON... goodbye....

Frank
Garden City, NY

Subject: Buzzflash New Format

I love Buzzflash and I especially like to read the mailbag letters. They make my day!

That said, I have given it a try, but the new format does not work for me. Your original format was uniquely functional.

I am not one of those who will quit BuzzFlash. But, I urge you to revert back to the previous format. The white letters on light colored backgrounds are indeed hard on the eyes, and the scrolling thru the label shaped headlines leads to confusion.

Creed Ballew
Arkansas

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