Blame District voters for re-electing Barry Re: “Barry should abandon his succession plan,” From Readers, Dec. 2
Mr. Underwood has the right spirit, but his anger is misplaced.He should be scolding the voters who elected Marion Barry to a fourth term as mayor even after he was convicted on drug charges.Ward 8 voters then elected him to the D.C. Council in 2004, two years after he dropped out of an election because U.S. Park Police found marijuana and cocaine in his car.
Barry was re-elected again in 2008 after a campaign that was plagued with fiscal improprieties, such as hiring his girlfriend and failing to file and pay taxes.
Despite all the evidence, the District electorate continues to vote for this criminal.Until D.C. voters wake up from their slumber, Barry will continue to wield power.
Mike Soh
Alexandria
Church likely hid sex abuse to save face
Re: “The Catholic Church hid defective leadership,” From Readers, Nov. 28
Letter writer Bella Fisher claims that Noemie Emery’s proposed explanation for the Catholic Church’s handlingof the sexual abuse problem “doesn’t make sense.” What Fisher really meant was that Emery’s theory is different from her own. To some people, “disagreeing with me” is tantamount to not making any sense.
Emery suggested that church officials dealt with things the way they did in order to save face. Fisher implies the hierarchy did so because it is full of sexual abusers itself.
Both theories “make sense,”but Emery’s explanation, while terribly oversimplistic, is by far the more likely.It is certainly the one least based on venom and ignorance, not to mention blatant, baseless calumny worthy of those online discussions where anything goes.
It was not, however, worthy of The Washington Examiner.
Stephen Kosciesza
Silver Spring
Cain’s proposals sideline government
Re: “Race card won’t help Cain win the White House,” Nov. 28
Gregory Kane is right to caution Herman Cain about playing the racecard. However, when adescendent of slaves rises to the highest office in the land, it notonly shows progress on racial issues, but also how theAmerican free-enterprise system’s meritocracy has enabled thatprogress.
Kane should spend a few words highlightinghow Cain offers a truly differentmodel of government. Mitt Romney’s and Newt Gingrich’s big ideas are based on the premise that solutions, albeit conservativeones, stem from things that government does.
In contrast, Cain developedhis plans to simplify government on the premise that the Americanpublic can put its talents to work and solve the economic challengeswe face. He understands for that to truly happen, government needsto spend a little more time on the sidelines.
Brian Wrenn
Washington
