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Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day and on July 4 I celebrate America’s. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I’ve thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said “Praise the Lord.” And when the young leader said, “I will be for change and I’ll bring you change,” everyone yelled, “Viva Fidel!”

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner’s guns went silent the people’s guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I’m back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?

Manuel Alvarez Jr. Sandy Hook.

Source

Letter to the editor, Durham Herald, Chapel Hill Herald:

I love my daily dose of letters. Humorous and horrific at once; never failing to instruct and sometimes shock. I’ve learned many things about the alternate universe of the far-left mind. In that fantasy dwelling kettles are always black, but never pots. Books have many covers; but their contents are all the same. Mirrors reflect only fantasy if they reflect at all. Wealth and happiness are created by the state. Oppressive regimes are paradise if they give away an occasional Health-Care brand biscuit or a Free-Med chew toy. Terrorism is excused or softened with a name change. History is politics. Art is agitprop. The protester of the outrage du jour is revered while the soldier is reviled. Taxes are love and truth is fashion.

Here’s hoping for a little less left in 2006.

Kudos to the Rev. David Ward for his concise and truth filled letter of August 26, 2005. (re: Letter to the Editor - Durham Herald Sun entitled “Two-pronged message” - LINK) Sir, you cut through the clutter and got to the heart of the matter. “Right opinions” and compassionate actions are not at odds with each other as you pointed out. They work in concert. And, yes, it is strange to see a criticism of “right opinion” types by expressing a “right opinion” about them. Thank you and Amen.

Regarding a piece in the Hearld-Sun written by Mr. Tom Ehrich entitled “The Wrongness of Right-Opinion.” No link available at this time.

Submitted to the Chapel Hill Herald
18 May 2005

In reference to:
shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=SCHRAM-05-17-05

Editor:

The recent performance of Newsweek should be bad enough, but large portions of the media continue to demonstrate
systemic faults. Case in point, the Chapel Hill Herald guest article by Martin Schram on May 18th. Mr. Schram’s point, in summary, is that it’s all the fault of the Bush administration. Can we please give Mr. Schram a collective “huh, say what?”

No, no, not our fault. It’s that awful administration. They didn’t stop us. They didn’t investigate. They didn’t comment. They didn’t do our job for us! (At the same time another portion of the media is accusing and condemning the administration on the exact opposite charges.)

There is a word for such behavior: juvenile. It’s long past time for the media and journalism in general to take an introspective look. In this information age, errant news reporting will seldom stand unopposed. The bar has been raised.

-jweaks