LETTERS

Color of anger is … blue?
Now we all know the true color of anger is red. But it may just be blue now.
In a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll concerning President Bush’s job performance, 47 percent of voters “strongly disapprove” of his stewardship while only 20 percent “strongly approve.”
That 47 percent who “strongly disapprove” are angry.
They are angry because they have been lied to.
They are angry because our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers, and our friends and neighbors are being killed and maimed because of those lies.
They are angry because Bush and his gang have changed our country in the eyes of the world to one that kidnaps, imprisons and tortures people indiscriminately without regard to guilt or innocence.
They are angry because the rich are getting obscenely richer.
They are angry about criminal disregard shown by the Bush administration toward the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The list goes on and on. But what does all this anger have to do with the color of anger?
The answer comes from an article in the Post written by Richard Morin entitled “Pink is the New Red.” He found that red states were becoming blue states and the blue states were getting “bluer.” Further he found that some of the strong red states have become “watery pink at best.”
So while we may mourn the temporary loss of the phrase “red with anger” we can enjoy the refreshing coolness of all the new blue, and be cheered knowing Bush is learning more about the hues of blues as he sings them.

Bill Appelhans
Chicago IL

Classic antiwar film
I was glad to see mention of the film “Sophie Scholl” (PWW 4/29-5/5). It has been playing here in New York for almost three months. It is not a “small” story, as your writer remarks. The immediate background is the Battle of Stalingrad, the turning point of World War II, and the greatest single battle in history. Germany alone lost over 250,000 dead there. It began in September 1942 and was not over until February 1943.
The small group of students at Munich University wrote and distributed four anti-Nazi leaflets. Later, there were two more. In the fifth leaflet there is this quote: “Do not believe the Nazi propaganda which has driven the fear of Bolshevism into your bones.”
“Sophie Scholl” was made as Europe watches the atrocious war of conquest on Iraq. Its relevance to the present and the clear parallels it draws are the reasons it was made in the first place. It is a masterpiece as a work of art in the tradition of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Paths of Glory” and other powerful antiwar films.

Peter Gourfain
Brooklyn NY

International living wage
A call for an International Living Wage is a proper response to the global immigration crisis that does not pit workers with citizenship, wherever, against those without. This may be the only unity call, and it is not just a call, as in slogan. It is a call on Marxists everywhere to use whatever skills, contacts, influence and resources we have to let people everywhere see that an International Living Wage for a 40-hour week is feasible and implementable and enforceable. I’d like to say a 36.5 hour week, but I’m no fanatic.

Peggy Powell Dobbins
Atlanta GA

Caste system info
I’m writing to let the PWW that I enjoy your work and articles. However, there is a terrible caste system in India and no one seems to be talking about it. I don’t read it in any U.S. papers or magazines and I don’t see any Black leaders discussing this issue. I say “Black leaders” (whether motivational speakers, activists, historians, etc.) because this matter is directed toward the “blacks” of India. May someone at PWW can look into this matter so more Americans can be aware of it. Thank you.

Asia Griffith
Via e-mail

A promise made
As Chile struggles to overcome the past and restore justice and human rights, an obstacle remains in the system. In the 1980s Chile’s then dictator Augusto Pinochet installed an electoral law that in effect blocked the left from participation in the electoral process. The “binominal” (sometimes called binomial) system was composed by the far right and imposed on Chile by Pinochet.
In early April, a group of communist female leaders met with Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet to urge her to keep her campaign promise to do away with the binominal system. The left voted en masse for Bachelet. Dolores Cautivo, one of the communist women who met with Bachelet, said, “We think all of Bachelet’s gestures positive, but we think gestures are weak and we believe we need concrete actions for Chile to really live in full democracy.”
President Bachelet will have to choose between full democracy, or the lie that is the binominal system.

Brian McAfee
Muskegon MI

Bush’s anthem hypocrisy
Just a comment on your editorial “Our anthem — nuestro himno” (PWW 5/6-12): PWW readers may be interested to know that in Kevin Phillips’ 2004 book, “American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush,” one can find the following passage on George W. Bush’s courting of Hispanic voters prior to the 2000 election:
“When visiting cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, or Philadelphia, in pivotal states, he would drop in at Hispanic festivals and parties, sometimes joining in singing the ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ in Spanish.”
Phillips also mentions (and I’m sure many PWW readers will remember this) that G.W. Bush initially supported amnesty for “illegal” Mexican immigrants; he didn’t adopt his anti-immigrant stance until after 9/11. Thank you.

David S. Pena
West Palm Beach FL

Thank you!
I am grateful for your recent article (“Illinois lawmakers seek Bush impeachment,” PWW 5/13-19) that draws attention to the disgraceful conduct of Mr. Bush.
Your publication communicates the intense pain, frustration and despair felt by millions of us who cannot make our voices heard via the media. I hope that state legislators can get the impeachment ball rolling. In the face of incompetence, dishonesty, blatant religious hypocrisy and disregard for human suffering, you offer me hope of recoverable sanity.

Conrad Baer
Spokane WA