Letters to the Editor

Poor decisions from Bonneville

Bonneville International Corp.’s decision to give priority to news and information broadcasting in Washington at the expense of music outlets such as classical mainstay WGMS (“Radio switch upsets listeners,” Business, Jan. 11) seems myopic. In an information-saturated age in which society already is being overwhelmed by the Internet and broadcast media of unprecedented diversity, will the appetite for news remain insatiable in the long term?

The decision of another local station, WETA, to change its format last February seems ill-considered in light of declining ratings. Station manager Dan DeVany’s logic to rationalize his folly seems tortured. In the bleak landscape of talk radio, the relief of classical music, which can elevate the mind to the spiritual, is sorely needed. Web broadcasting, which enslaves listeners to computers, and portable technologies such as MP3s, which can cause hearing loss, cannot entirely serve this purpose. Digital radio also will be superfluous because the quality and frequency range of conventional analog broadcasting already exceed listening requirements.

Central to WGMS’ audience loyalty has been the presence of engaging, personable announcers such as longtime stalwart Dennis Owens (now retired), John Chester, Renee Chaney and James Bartel, who add a special dimension to the listening experience. Commercial and public classical music stations such as Chicago’s WFMT and Baltimore’s WBJC demonstrate compellingly that this format can thrive on the radio when enhancements such as listener-request programs and delayed concert broadcasts are added.

Perhaps Bonneville, when the advertising revenues attracted by WGMS’ highly educated and generally affluent audience begin to decline, will relent, and, at the very least, use its considerable profits to improve WGMS’ badly degraded signal strength.

JOHN J. JOSWICK

Laurel

Bono: Misguided ’limousine liberal’

Though I applaud Bono’s commitment to his Christian principles and his advocacy for the poor as he has expressed it before and did again at the National Prayer Breakfast (“Bono urges U.S. to boost aid to world’s poor,” Nation, yesterday), I do not think his idea of charity is what the Bible, Jesus or the framers of the Constitution had in mind.

The U.S. government is not supposed to be in the business of charity, at least to judge by the Constitution. As it is, were the tax structure to be cut so that we Americans had more of our hard-earned dollars, experience has shown that donations to charities would increase, and more of it would reach the poor in impoverished nations. Government aid usually winds up lining the pockets of despotic rulers and their cronies.

NORMAN HENDRICKSON

Bowie

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So, Bono thinks developed nations need to do more for the impoverished. Great; that’s very generous of him, seeing as it’s not his money. Whatever of his personal wealth Mr. Bono gives away, you can rest assured he will always enjoy more luxuries than the average American taxpayer and never will experience anything like hunger.

This is the epitome of the limousine liberal. Never to fear for their own monetary well-being, the Bonos of the world are only too happy to pressure governments such as that of the Unites States to give more. The politically illiterate gobble up his cries about how God demands nothing less. It is a shame so many are so clueless about government finances, missing the most simplistic lesson of economics: Government cannot give you anything without first taking it from someone else.

Is Bono ignorant of this? Perhaps decades of stardom have warped his sense of reality; perhaps he believes he is the messiah to lead all the world’s poor to salvation, or at least a ham sandwich. Nevertheless, the Bonos of the world present a great danger to the working man — and yes, this writer is one. Not content with their own lives of excess, these abominations want power. Power to decide how government revenues will be used.

Unfortunately, America suffers from celebrity worship. Too many of our citizens believe a long-haired rock star has a reasoned philosophy that is somehow superior to their own or that of their own elected government officials. On what basis? Certainly none that would pass the smell test. Many of these twits don’t even write their own music or lyrics, yet their geopolitical IQ is hailed as being superior to our world leaders. Yes, it is confusing to me also.

As our nation tries desperately to stay one step ahead of militant Islam, hellbent on killing as many Americans as possible, we don’t need the added burden of giving away tens of billions of dollars — money that not only doesn’t go to those in need but actually is used against our country.

In Africa, it is routine for armed militias to seize U.N. food trucks, thereby keeping themselves strong, while the weak die off or are weakened sufficiently to make for easy slaughter. And Bono would like this process to be enlarged on the backs of working-class Americans?

What school of thought teaches you to keep doing what you are doing in spite of ever-mounting failure? Insanity?

The day Bono decides to live as a working man, I will consider his pleas for more foreign aid. The day he decides to raise a family of four on a combined income of $80,000, balancing a mortgage, two car payments and educational expenses, he will have my rapt attention.

One cannot help but point out that Christianity does not teach us to subsidize others. Giving a helping hand does not mean propping up others, and if that helping hand is propping up evil men, you can believe God would disapprove, regardless of the intent.

It is time for our world leaders, specifically our president, to reject this power grab by the Hollywood clique. Celebrities have their world. It is nothing like ours, and, frankly, that has to be enough for them. Enough monetary excess to destroy yourself, enough monetary excess to give, if you so choose — but never the power to choose for those of us who live in the real world.

TOM MCCONVILLE

Woodbridge, Va.

Katrina, Rita and Bush

Your coverage hasn’t mentioned it, but I was offended to read that last week, President Bush said Congress has made a “significant commitment” to the Gulf Coast by setting aside $85 billion for hurricane recovery and that he wants “to remind the people in that part of the world, $85 billion is a lot.”

I’m beginning to wonder what the president meant when he said he wants to remind people in “that part of the world.” It makes one believe those who were affected most by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita must be living in a Third World nation that is stricken by gross poverty because we live in “that part of the world.”

It made me think that the part of the world where I live must not be part of the United States of America. A diplomat never would have used such language to discuss a foreign nation; it would incite hostility toward our beloved country.

It would be far better for us to be located in the Middle East and have been invaded by this administration. That part of the world seems to be able to get the American taxpayer’s money.

The words Mr. Bush spoke were careless and harmful to all who are striving to pick up the pieces of their lives as American citizens. But what do I know? I live in “that part of the world.”

This part was an important part of the United States, as we have strategic oil reserves located within this state. This administration has spent more than $300 billion for combat and rebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan, but those countries must be in a better part of the world than I.

The American dream has quickly become an American nightmare for the people in this part of the world, who had the ability to support Mr. Bush in both of his campaigns for the presidency. The people of Louisiana should be outraged at such remarks because the president effectively stated that we are worth ignoring.

The president should know that the people in this part of the world well know that $85 billion dollars is a lot, but it is not sufficient — especially when this part of the world does something that Iraq doesn’t, and that is pay American taxes.

CHARLES E. BRUMFIELD JR.

Student

Southern University Law Center

Baton Rouge, La.