Letter writer: I pray that the day is not far off when love and devotion among couples of all ages regardless of sexual orientation will be celebrated and hateful letters calling it a perversion are a thing of the past.
Lines for iPhones a sad commentary
Hazem Sayed, 54, the first in line to purchase the new iPhone 5, takes pictures outside the Fifth Avenue Apple store Friday in New York. Hundreds of people waited in line through the early morning to be among the first to get their hands on the highly anticipated phone.I don’t get it.
In New York City, long lines of people can block the sidewalk and even camp out without getting arrested if they are there in order to purchase the new iPhone.
But if you are there to speak your mind in a constitutionally protected protest, you will be ordered to move or be arrested if you block the sidewalk or camp out.
– TRUDY KNOWLES, Westfield
Brown key bipartisan voice
It was with interest that I watched the two conventions promote their philosophy; however it was unfortunate that neither party called for a return to bipartisanship.
Americans ideological segregation evidently is acceptable. We have a turbulent and acrimonious legislature. The 112th Congress is the least productive body in a generation.
In Massachusetts we have a hotly contested race for the Senate where moderation and compromise is criticized. One frequently hears that party line votes and partisan politics are hurting our country. The democratic members in Congress vote 96 percent party line with similar percentage by republicans.
Our Massachusetts delegation is even more partisan. Evidently compromise is considered a dirty word.
Our current Republican junior Sen. Scott Brown was deemed the second most bipartisan member of the Senate by the Congressional quarterly.
However, many Massachusetts voters seem to want our delegation to vote 100 percent party line. The voters of Massachusetts have an interesting choice – to re-elect a person that is not always in lockstep with party leaders or to elect an individual that will follow the directives of the party leadership 100 percent of the time along with our other representatives and senator.
– PAUL X. WELCH, Longmeadow
Brown’s votes show new partisan shift
Scott Brown daily loves to tell us that he is a bipartisan senator. It is hard to believe he is when he signed the Grover Norquist pledge as soon as he got to Washington in 2010. For those of you unfamiliar with this, it is an agreement put before all new Republicans elected to Congress to promise never to raise taxes.
There is an implicit threat that if they deviate from it their re-election will be challenged.
In addition, Brown voted 93 percent of the time with the Republicans until Elizabeth Warren entered the race for Senate. At that point he realized that in Democratic Massachusetts he would have to appear much more moderate if he hoped to get re-elected. He then voted only 75 percent of the time supporting Republican positions.
His TV ads promote the family man, a good-looking man who could live next door but he seldom discusses issues in these ads. Each and every voter needs to look a whole lot further into what he really stands for, how he has voted, and know that he is about as Republican as they get.
–PEGGY MCLENNAN, Westfield
U.S. owes gratitude to gay soldiers, too
I was extremely saddened by a recent letter of rebuke to The Republican.
The letter was in protest of a photo printed on Sept. 17 of a same sex military couple in joyful post-deployment homecoming embrace.
Thankfully at last all our soldiers, not just heterosexuals, are free to openly rejoice with those they love after serving their country in perilous places far from home. How sad it is that some of us are not able to see the image of these two young men for what it is. There is nothing lewd about this demonstration of love and happiness upon reunion after a long and stressful separation.
I pray that the day is not far off when love and devotion among couples of all ages regardless of sexual orientation will be celebrated and hateful letters calling it a perversion are a thing of the past.
– M.L. JENNINGS, Springfield
Brown shows clear disdain for Warren
Republican Sen. Scott Brown’s body language clearly showed his disdain for his Democratic opponent Elizabeth Warren. His expression spoke volumes. He did not want to be there, it was above his status to debate her.
What an oaf.
– KATHLEEN STEVENS, Springfield