Good journalists usually make bad politicians
Re: ‘PM Black Has Ring To It,’ letters to the editor, Oct. 7. The public’s choices for PM (or any federal or provincial office) overlook an essential qualification that renders good journalism and politics incompatible. In our parliamentary system, a politician must park his integrity and independence at the door and submit to the party line, a sacrifice that should be anathema to any serious journalist, akin to selling his soul. We have enough of those kind of people in government already. Journalists are of much more value to society maintaining their independence.
Morton Doran, Fairmont, B.C.
conrad black should continue to do what he does so well already. He is our one and only canadian toff (“someone with an aristocratic background or belonging to the landed gentry”). He lives like one and he writes like an angel, even if he is not. In one article, he can provide a magnificent geo-political historical sweep that is churchillian, and he can write a biography with the most minute personal and historical “braiding” and details that leave one marvelling at his toil.
Only a toff could have used his prison time to teach. I have read his paper since day one, and I am too selfish to part with him to mere politics. Long live our toff.
D. McClure Edmonton.
It was heartening to see cbc’s Amanda Lang suggested as a political leader. Looking back on her journalism career, she has the potential to get the best of any foreign counterparts in trade, defence or finance. Just one of her scowls — usually reserved when mentioning Stephen Harper — and they will be reduced to mush.
Mary MacDonald, Kingston, Ont.
Re: Fulford For PM, Paul Russell, Week in Letters, Oct. 5. Another old angry white man. Shoot me now!
John Seigner, Calgary.
I am very tired of being led by people with less experience than I have. I have no wish to be led by “community organizers,” schoolteachers with name-brand recognition or people who are in the pockets of the public service unions. If you haven’t had to make payroll, I am not interested in you as a candidate. And the number of our political class who have had to do so is vanishingly small.
This is not simply the effulgence or effluvium of my own ressentiment (I read conrad black and I rarely need a dictionary.) Many men I know feel this way. We toil away in obscurity, creating job opportunities and tax revenue while featherweights run the country. We are facing, potentially, very dark times. We need real leaders.
And there are very few on offer.
John Purdy, Kirkland, Que.