Remember when preaching was done in church? In response to "Proselytizing 101" (Trevor Aaronson, December 1): I took an "Introduction to Religion" class at Broward Community College in the 1980s and found it interesting and enlightening. The professor taught about all religions. So I can't believe there are professors there today who are focusing and proselytizing only on fundamental, Evangelic Christianity. I find it also unfortunate for the students there, because if more people learned about other religions, they might not be so quick to judge someone's religious beliefs and customs.
Look at how after 9/11, so many people were exposed to hate crimes. It's not enough that the public has to hear politicians who are Christian fundamentalists touting faith-based funding; now students in public colleges are having to be taught only Christian fundamentalism in a course designed to expose them to all religions.
Susan Brown
Fort Lauderdale
Mess O'Mess
And now, from Fake News Central...: Great piece ("Spreading the Plame," December 1, Bob Norman) on the Fifth Estate's responsibility for what the Daily Show calls "Mess O'Potamia."
Professor Paul Krause
Department of History
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Pundits who shill: I read your piece with great delight, not to mention a healthy dose of schadenfreude, from seeing these pro-war gasbags taken down. Thomas Friedman truly is the worst of the lot, an overpaid, overexposed hack who shills for both Bush's war and corporate globalization. Glad you skewered Nicholas Kristof too. Your overall point that the focus on the discredited Judith Miller overlooks the complicity of other so-called journalists is totally on the mark.
Thanks for a much-needed and bracing polemic!
George De Stefano
Long Island City, New York
About the venerable WSJ...: Great column. I couldn't agree more with your top five, having already concluded that the most emetic shills, the Wall Street Journal editorial page, can no longer really qualify as journalists.
Thomas Cassidy
New York City
An ink-stained scribe needs a conscience: A brilliant analysis. Thank you for reminding us that journalists — like politicians — should be held accountable for their records.
Helen Summers
Los Angeles
We're spreading democracy, aren't we? What am I missing? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck, but I honestly don't understand. Democracy is taking root in Iraq. People there for the most part are already better off.
The goal was to create a stable democracy in the midst of the violent and chaotic Middle East, which became a breeding ground for world terror. It's hard going, but it seems like we are pretty much on track for winning. So what makes this a debacle?
David Penticuff
Canadian Wrath
Next time, check the clips: Hey, how about you do a little research about music before you write an article about music? Broken Social Scene is not from Montreal ("Swede Emotion," Jessica Sick, December 1). It is from Toronto. Give the Canadian indie music scene a little credit.
Darcy Knoll
Ottawa, Ontario
Vice
Is anybody out there listening? Interesting article on Vice Mayor Eggelletion ("Terrible Twosome," Bob Norman, November 24). I question why the Sun-Sentinel did not run a piece on him, given the items you cite. It would seem that someone as corrupt as the person described in the article would warrant more scrutiny by other media outlets.
Name withheld by request
Via the Internet
Lori Undressed
Sometimes developers have to be hugged: My compliments on the great article about Lori Parrish and her attorney's real (estate) interests ("Parrish Is Burning," Bob Norman, November 17). How odd that she branded her opponents as friends of big developers now that we see who the real "People for Parrish" are.
Your article was like an early Christmas present. That is particularly fitting, because I've said for years that she is as full of sh*t as three Christmas turkeys. I'm really looking forward to her FEC trial in January. Good stuff.
Lester P. Behan
Fort Lauderdale
Nose to the What?
Please take my résumé: I just want you to know how very, very jealous I am that P.J. Tobia has a job that involves eating on the company dime while ogling strippers ("Strip Stake," September 8). That's awesome!
Have some "au jus" for me, big guy.
Kat Reitz
Philadelphia
