Canning Krauthammer? That’s so liberal
In Northwest Voices, Daniel A. Morgan asked that The Times drop Charles Krauthammer from its editorial pages [“Krauthammer on terrorism, Islam: an inconvenient truth,” Opinion, Nov. 28].
I assume Morgan is a liberal because the true liberal approach is if you don’t like the message, attempt to silence the messenger.
Morgan believes Krauthammer has little of value to contribute.
Let’s look at Morgan’s contributions: While admitting Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan uttered “Allahu akbar” during his murderous spree, Morgan makes the ridiculous statement that most Americans say the same thing in English under similar circumstances.
I don’t recall reading about other Americans yelling “God is great,” or “Praise God,” or “Jesus is Lord” while going around shooting innocent people.
Morgan also equates Islamic fanatics to fanatics of other religions. Again, while Islamic fanatics kill innocents almost daily, I do not know of any other religion where this happens even occasionally.
If Morgan wants to ignore the worldwide scourge of radical, militant Islam, and use the typical liberal tactic of moral relativism, then I submit that it is he who is contributing absolutely nothing of value to the discussion.
— Jack Hurley, Bellevue
Krauthammer never resorts to personal insults?
Editor’s note: This letter originally said Charles Krauthammer is a lawyer. He is not.
Not satisfied that the majority of columnists for The Seattle Times are left-wing writers, Daniel A. Morgan wants Charles Krauthammer dropped from The Times.
Krauthammer is on Fox News. He is an M.D. and is paralyzed from the neck down. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned and articulate.
He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is neither a fearmonger nor an extremist in his comments and views. He has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing and writes weekly for The Washington Post.
Morgan writes of Christian and Jewish fanatics. Can Morgan tell us where are the Christian and Jewish fanatics blowing themselves up, killing innocent women and children? We have heard of Krauthammer’s background, what is Morgan’s?
— Bob West, Des Moines
Hearing from both sides
I see The Times is getting some flak for running Charles Krauthammer columns, not surprising in a town that skews as liberal as Seattle.
Personally, I am a political independent, and I enjoy Krauthammer’s column. I also like Thomas Friedman and Paul Krugman.
I don’t always agree with Krauthammer’s columns on Middle Eastern questions — though often I do — but I think he provides a well-reasoned-out viewpoint that is worth stating.
I am glad to see The Times is running his column to balance out some of the other viewpoints we see. In order to form a sound point of view on any issue, we need to hear from several sides.
— Dan Hochberg, Seattle
Seconding the motion of Krauthammer’s resignation
I second the motion by Daniel A. Morgan that The Seattle Times should drop columns written by Charles Krauthammer.
Krauthammer’s suggestion that the health-care bill be scrapped is typical of his work and is laden with half-truths and outright lies. He so frequently resorts to obvious distortions of the truth that nothing he writes can be trusted to be accurate.
The only thing he got right in his most recent column “Kill the current messy bills and do health care right” [Opinion, syndicated column, Nov. 28], is that the health-care bill is a disaster, not for the reasons that he lists but because special-interest lobbyists have succeeded in blocking the needed reforms.
The current version of the bill, which will make billions for the health-insurance industry, fails to slow the rise of health-care costs, and still leaves large numbers of people with no health-care coverage. The American people deserve better.
— Gary Maxwell, Lynnwood