Letters to the Editor

This letter is directed to the Flyers fans in the Wachovia Center who booed during the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory celebration:

Shame on you!

That was the most pathetic and unsportsmanlike display I have seen in a long time. Plenty of teams have clinched championships in away games, and I have never seen the home team's fans behave that way. I would like to think that this doesn't reflect on the attitude and manners of the entire city.

You lost. It's sad. Get over it!

Laura Raffae

Chicago

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In response to the writer who claims that Israeli commandos had to use force against the Turkish aid ship to Gaza, it should be noted that preparations for the arrival of this ship (as well as the others in the flotilla) were made months in advance. It was no secret, and there was ample opportunity to figure out an appropriate response ("Reactions to Israel's raid," last Saturday).

As part of the preparation, the ship had camera crews on board, but their tapes were confiscated by the Israelis, as were cameras, computers, and mobile phones. The tape that we see played again and again is an Israel-released tape of a portion of the events on board the ship. We have yet to get all the information or to even hear the activists' version of the story, at least in the American media.

It is hard to believe that members of an elite commando group of the Israel Defense Forces, heavily armed and boarding a ship from sea and air, were actually the victims until we have all the facts, not just edited ones. With so many people shot and killed, an independent, international commission is needed to investigate the matter.

Elaine Hughes

Ambler

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I am writing in reply to Michael Smerconish's article about letting anyone vote in the primaries of any party ("Calif. idea is worth a look for all of us," Sunday). He said that he thinks only the fringe elements get to vote now - the far ends of the spectrum in either major party. I don't know why he would think that, when every stripe of Republican gets to vote in that party's primaries, and Democrats from liberal to Blue Dog get to vote in theirs.

The independents are the fringe group (usually way out in right field), with the wacky people like Rand Paul wanting to take us back to the '50s and change the desegregation laws, etc. If the independents are such a huge group, why don't they start their own party and get on the national ballot? Perhaps because they can never agree on a platform.

The real problem with letting people vote in each other's primaries is the mischief that could cause. If my candidate had a safe lead, I would vote against the strongest candidate in the other party to give mine a weaker opponent to face in the general election.

Jeanne Lorenzo

Southampton, N.J.

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When Sen. John McCain opposed future President Obama in the presidential election of Nov. 4, 2008, the Democratic Party used a unique political strategy, posing this question to the public: Do you want four more years of George W. Bush?

By convincing voters that a vote for McCain would be the same as reelecting Bush, Democrats were able to win the presidency. They are still using Bush as a scapegoat for everything that is going wrong in the United States.

The blame game of deflection being used by Democrats is wearing thin. When will the Obama administration take full responsibility for its own unpopular policies and poor decision-making and stop blaming Bush?

David M. Levin

Vineland

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Another "accepted wisdom" story about national politics mistakes Blanche Lincoln's victory as a win against unions ("Lincoln bucks tide in Arkansas," Wednesday).

Rather, it is simply another win for the Democratic Leadership Council and its advice for Democrats to adopt Republican positions instead of organizing the kind of relentless campaign for Democratic issues that Republicans have been running since 1980.

Bill and Hillary Clinton, the quintessential Arkansas Democrats (now transplanted to New York), are charter members of the DLC, and Lincoln is one of their acolytes. Lincoln's victory was a win against grassroots Democrats by an entrenched Washington party organization. Unions have little influence in Arkansas, and their influence has waned nationwide.

Thanks for repeating Republican talking points.

Ben Burrows

Elkins Park

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Obama wants to know whose butt to kick over the BP oil spill. The citizenry will soon demonstrate whose butt will be kicked, to which he will sadly retort: "I feel your pain!"

Armond "Si" Simmons

Pell City, Ala.

psysim@coosahs.net