And now, a few opinions from readers
Every now and then, when my brain is fried and another terrifying deadline looms, I prefer to let you, the astute and wonderful readers of this column, do the heavy lifting. So today, I will fill the unsettling white space below with your emails.
I’m happy to say that I receive many. Most are very kind. A few are not. But I read them all and continue to be a little amazed that so many of you take the time to write.
But enough jabbering. Let’s get to it.
“Dear Mr. Churchill, I just read your column about Megyn Kelly and Bethlehem high school wanting to remove her from their Hall of Fame. It is just amazing to me that they want ‘freedom of speech’ but only for people who agree with them. Don’t they realize how ridiculous that is? I will admit to being a conservative. It almost seems that being conserva
tive is a crime today.”
— Ann
I have bad news, Ann. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Coronavirus Executive Order No. 1,867,455, being conservative is, in fact, now illegal in New York. And since you’ve just admitted your crime, I have no choice but to make the police in your town aware of your proclivities. They’ll come knocking shortly.
“As a 37-year resident of Bethlehem and yearly, mandatory donator to the school district, I am shocked, just shocked, that you would try to interfere in our management of the district Hall of Fame. Our children, all of whom, by the way, are way above average, have the right to pass in halls unfettered by photos of overpaid TV loudmouths.”
— Robert OK, I’ll come clean. Though I don’t live in the town and didn’t get to attend Bethlehem Central, it has irked me for years that I’ve not been made a participant in the school’s Hall of Fame selection process. So when the opportunity to interfere came along, I jumped at the chance!
“Wow! A second sensible column in the same month. Are you OK?”
— Vincent Now that you mention it, Vincent, I have been feeling a little out of sorts. Which was the first sensible column? I’ll retract it immediately!
“I just read another of your articles knocking
Gov. Cuomo for the umpteenth time. What is it you have against this man, who clearly is doing what needs to be done to stop the spread of this horrible virus?”
— Chris
I would be more willing to let the governor wear his halo if he would be honest about how many nursing home residents died from COVID-19, instead of shrouding the truth in secrecy. But just wait until you read this next email, Chris. It’s going to blow your mind.
“Maybe you should try some real journalism and stop praising and licking the (naughty word) boots of Cuomo. Your columns of praise for this loser are a disgrace to the journalism profession.”
— Joey Wouldn’t it be fun to get Joey and Chris together for a beer?
One more about the governor:
“You seem perplexed about the bigger-than-life portrayal Cuomo presents about himself in his book. Let me help you out. Cuomo is not going to admit where he went wrong because he wants to run for president and complete the path his father did not. Politicians who have higher aspirations do not come clean about anything.”
— Jim But, but, but wait just a second, Jim. Cuomo has told us time and time again that he has no desire to be anything but governor of our great state. In fact, he says it again in his book. Are you suggesting we shouldn’t believe him? How cynical!
And now, a few thoughts on the upcoming presidential election. You may have heard something about it.
“Donald Trump will not go without kicking and crying, even if he loses in a landslide. I always ask anyone if they think the country is better now than four years ago. If the answer is yes, they either have made millions in the stock market or lie more than Trump.”
— Ed And the alternate viewpoint:
“I am 76 years old and I know my limitations. Joe Biden looked terrible on TV, sometimes confused and unable to communicate his ideas and thoughts. If they took him two miles away from his home, he would not be able to find his way back.”
— Joseph I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ll be glad when this election is over.