Letters to the EDITOR

Mr. Baker hits a bull's-eye

I’m writing in response to Mr. Baker’s article (“How did we end up here? “published Dec. 1).

Mr. Baker is so articulate and right on with his opinions, that this country is currently engaged in a cultural civil war and he provides plenty of history to support his opinions. Unfortunately too many people are unaware of how we got to this point.

His intellect is far beyond my comprehension at times but I do get the gist of it.

Keep up your good work enlightening your fellow citizens to what is really the truth to what is happening in this greatest country of all and perhaps we can make some changes for the better. Jerome Marder Valencia

Good points, but no need to deride

First, I’d like to congratulate Mr. Baker on making a reasonable sounding argument, but why does he persist in insulting those with whom he disagrees?

He reviews history to advance his point about being realistic, but in fact he ends up as a pessimist, declaring that focusing on electing people to improve good policy is “unrealistic.”

Further his concept of history remains static; nowhere acknowledging the effect of the Vietnam War on our culture. The differences between generations apparently arise out of nowhere – nor does he mention the present extreme inequality affecting our politics.

Finally, Mr. Baker yearns for the “Greatest Generation” ignoring the inevitability of change arising from new intelligence, new technology and greater aspirations. Sadly, the thrust of his thinking divides us, creates enemies and fails to remember the humanity of us all. I think “E Pluribus Unum” cannot be realized from such thinking. Roselva Ungar Saugus