Reader’s Comments

Issue 220– January 30, 2013

Editor: Regarding “Dispiriting Inauguration,” I think we’ve reached the tipping point, past which there is no stopping what’s happening. It’s the point that was reached in the 4th century in the Roman Empire, when a mushrooming bureaucracy forced taxes to rise to a crushing extent. The great magnates were able to pass their increased taxes on to others–raising rent, raising prices, etc.. On the other hand, the smaller businessmen and farmers were forced out of business, ultimately selling themselves into slavery to the magnates. Ultimately, those who’d been driven into slavery had little loyalty to the Empire and welcomed the arrival of the Franks and Goths. Consider: why do Essex County, MA; Fairfield County, CT; Suffolk and Westchester Counties, NY; Montgomery and Bucks Counties, PA; Montgomery County, MD; Arlington County, VA; the Upper East Side of New York; Beacon Hill in Boston; Society Hill in Philadelphia; Nob Hill in San Francisco; Malibu; Hollywood; Beverly Hills; etc., etc.–all vote for Obama? The same reason the magnates thought the policies of Constantine were great. Obama’s policies increase their hold on the rest of America. Ken Howes, Chicago, IL

Editor: “Dispiriting Inauguration” is a nice column exploring the real Barack Obama. He never listens and never learns. Bob Luddy

Editor: Regarding “Dispiriting Inauguration,” January 2013 will be the LAST presidential inauguration. Emperor Obama will declare himself lifelong dictator by late 2014, after he declares National Martial Law while Janet N confiscates all legally held and required registered weapons at gunpoint with the jackboots of DHS and the new Obama Army. Another reason to down size the military so there will be less mutinies to deal with. Deane Gilmour

Editor: Regarding David Kupelian’s “Psychiatric Drugs at Newton,” sounds like, to me, the main cause of these tragic shootings and suicides is the mental illness and the psychiatric drugs, which seem to be the cause of these tragic shootings. Controlling the guns bought would not have any effect on stolen guns. Anyone who is hearing voices telling themselves to kill or commit suicide is definitely not totally sane. All the drugs have warnings on them about feelings of suicide. My opinion is that the main cause is the drugs plus the mental condition. I don’t think anyone who would murder 20 1st graders and 6 adults and then commit suicide would be stopped by a law. Thanks, Mary Pate

Editor: David Kupelian’s article “Psychiatric Drugs at Newton,” on the relationship of antidepressant and antipsychotic medications to violence raises some good points. I would add another. How many of these were people who’d had those meds prescribed but weren’t taking them, so that the mania or depression went untreated? I take the antidepressant Wellbutrin and the anxiety medication Lorazepam. They have controlled conditions that destroyed my life before I took them and allowed me to function better and put my life back together. One time I went on a trip to Puerto Rico and forgot to pack my medication. About a week and a half into the trip, I was getting very squirrelly. You can’t NOT take them and expect good things to happen. Ken Howes, Chicago, IL

Editor: Regarding David Kupelian’s “Psychiatric Drugs at Newton,” Is anyone following up on his claims that drugs may be the cause of the Newton massacre and the Virginia Tech massacre? Steve Thompson, Cambridge, MA