PublishaLetter Blog

Letters to the editors are  good indicators of what people are thinking about. Since Publishaletter gets letters  written to the editors of the newspapers in their respective countries, from all across the world, it provides a snapshot of the hot button issues across the world. Here is what they are talking about in the US, UK and India

US. Health Care, Health Care and even more Health care. There is the outrage at the Town Hall meetings. There also is the outrage at the outrage at the Town Hall meetings. Death Panel is a favorite topic - both because the writers do not want to be subjected to it and also because some writers are alarmed by the “stupidity” of the people that hold that notion of ‘Death Panel’. Piggybacking on the health care topic, there are letters on the Progressive agenda and the Conservatives ideas and principles. Other thoughtful letters dealt with Education, Arts and Society in general.

India. Every week we can count on a steady stream of letters complaining about poor travel infrastructure. Bad roads, cheating taxi cabs, rude bus drivers, trains that do not run on time, planes that strand passengers etc. An interesting letter pointed out that even the Indian Railways run website that gives information about trains,  often contains dated or wrong information. But the big news was the bigger than life movie actor Shah Rukh Khan. Letters pointed out that SRK ( as he is popularly known) got more prominence than the Prime Minister in the media during the Independence day coverage or that the recent storm over his detention in the Newark airport was grossly overblown.

UK. Letters from UK often have an interesting twist and cover a multitude of subjects. The Release of the Lockerbie Bomber was met with considerable disgust and distaste.  National Health Service, often deried by the opponenets of Health Care Reform in the US was strongly defended by a writer - a real “user” of the system. Where is this unknown country ´UK?´ asked a letter in an interesting twist. For those not too familiar with the geography, the UK is a group of four countries, also including Scotland, Wales and currently Northern Ireland - said the letter

Read other Letters to the Editor by doing a country serach.

If one thing has riled up the letter writers to the editors, it is the debate about Health Care Reform in the US. No surprise there. The wide ranging viewpoints are somewhat of a surprise though. Here are some of the recent examples.

The letter titled Debunking Health Care Myths is a strong rebuttal of the common Republican Talking Points. Point by point it takes on the five major complaints against the plan by the right.

I want and deserve information states that the writer wants health care reform and NOT insurance reform.

Inside Health Care says that what you don’t know about health care can kill you.

White People & Town halls asks the question - Why is it mostly the white people that are disrupting the Town Hall meetings?

Obamacare - Life or Death is skeptical. It asks - When your life hangs in the balance and you need the best health care will that government official help you?

National Health Service - This writer from UK is sad to read reports about US peoples’ views of the health service in UK. He urges to counteract the lies that appear to be circulating in USA about our (UK’s)  service.

Health care Fraud argues that before opening the faucets to pour money into the health care system, they need to take care of all the monies going down the drain in fraud

These and other letters make interesting reading no matter how you feel about the subject. Visit the site and read the letters under Health Care.

Again there was a full blown letter in the comment section of the Blog on Lou Pritchett open letter. Again, we thought we will post it in the blog so that it does not stay hidden in the comment section. See what you think:

AN OPEN LETTER TO LOU PRITCHETT

Dear Mr. Pritchett:

You are a former CEO who undoubtedly received a Golden Parachute when you left. You truly scare me because I bet during your tenure at P&G you accepted bonuses equal to more than most of your employees will make in their lifetimes.

You scare me because, despite your own company manufacturing/selling Charmin toilet paper for umpteen years, you still don’t know poop when you see it (FOX News, if you will).

You scare me because you imply that Obama used possibly unethical/illegal/questionable means to pay for his college education. I find those who have to be creative, ingenious and resourceful to fund their way through college tend to appreciate it more. Not everyone has rich parents. I do not know how you paid for your education, nor do I care.

You scare me because you think that just because someone did not spend their “formative years” in this country means they cannot lead this country. Did you spend your formative years examining laundry detergent and toothpaste? How on earth did you ever manage to run Proctor & Gamble?

You scare me because you think that no military experience equals an inability to understand it at its core. Ghandi had no military experience (I am NOT comparing Obama to Ghandi—so calm down), but yet he is considered to be one of the most inspirational leaders of our time. And George W. Bush is evidence that serving in the military does not make you intelligent on military matters.

You scare me because you accuse Obama of lacking humility and class. Here is a President who, unlike Bush, was not born with a silver spoon is his mouth. He was not raised in a wealthy home, and his concern for the less fortunate echoes that upbringing. He strikes me as a President who cares far more about Americans and less about his image or enriching friends’ bank accounts (Haliburton anyone?). That’s what I call class.

You scare me because you believe that a person who is friends with someone who is outspoken about their radical beliefs means that person is a radical as well. I have many friends whose ultra-conservative Republican views I disagree with (and some are quite vehement with their opinions), but that in no way makes me an ultra-conservative Republican. When we close our ears, we cease to learn and/or teach. I might not like what you’re saying, but I will defend your right to say it. I’m pretty there’s an Amendment in there somewhere.

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the ‘America is never wrong” crowd, despite any evidence to the contrary, and you believe that apologizing for past transgressions make one weak.

You scare me because you most likely have no problem affording health insurance for your family, and have no concept of the fear millions of Americans face when they don’t have health insurance. If you’ve never had to make the choice between caring for a sick child and feeding/keeping a roof over your family, you can’t possibly understand.

You scare me because you seem to think plundering our natural resources is a better alternative than “going green.” Anyone who thinks we humans are not having a horrific, detrimental effect on Earth has his head in the sand.

You scare me because you don’t understand that these last eight years have destroyed the American capitalist already.

You scare me because you don’t realize banks and corporations have been using ‘extortion’ tactics all along. Lost your job? Can’t pay your minimum payment? Guess what, now you have a late fee AND we’re raising your interest rate, and there’s NOTHING you can do about it. Oh, and don’t forget that lovely negative credit report rating we’re giving you.

You scare me because you think Republicans are different from Democrats. Please, tell me which Republican senators openly opposed President Bush when he was spending our money and sending young men/women to Iraq to fight despite no evidence of ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction.’

You scare me because you do not speak of the first stimulus package—put through by President Bush—in which we bailed out the banks and Wall Street, only to have them give million dollar bonuses to upper level employees while laying off lower level ones.

You scare me because you seem to only get your news from FOX.

You scare me because you are no different than what you purport to fear—a person who dismisses opposing points of view from intelligent people. Surely you don’t think everyone who supports Obama is unintelligent, do you?

You scare me because you falsely believe that America is both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because you believe the liberal media gives Obama a free pass on everything, and that FOX News gives him a fair shake.

You scare me because you idolize the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O’Relllys and Becks of the world. I think the difference between those television personalities and journalists is just that: they are television personalities. They make their living being combative and entertaining people. Let’s not pretend it’s real news. People tune in for the antics, not the information. I have never seen Christine Amanpour (one of the world’s most impartial and educated foreign affairs journalist) raise her voice to people nor interrupt interviewees with her own personal rhetoric.

Finally, you scare me because you actually think eight years of Obama will result in the renunciation of Freedom of Speech. Please put down whatever it is you’re smoking and turn the channel!