  click to see a larger image of the front cover click to see a larger image of the back cover 78 fascinating interviews by Burt Prelutsky with the likes of Gerald Ford, Billy Wilder, Henry Mancini, Ginger Rogers, Jerry Herman, George Carlin, Father John Catoir, Norman Lear, Gene Kelly, Bernard Goldberg, Judith Krantz, Randy Newman, G. David Schine, Michael Medved, Sid Caesar, Dennis Prager, Jack Lemmon and Art Linkletter. |
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June 29, 2008 - There are good lies and there are bad lies, and not just on a golf course. That’s No First Lady, That’s My Wife June 26, 2008 - I must confess I got a chuckle out of Barack Obama’s warning us all to lay off his wife. Sorry, pal, but it’s too late in the game for that. June 19, 2008 - With the November election more or less around the corner, we are coming up on one of those traditions that should be stuck away in a kitchen drawer where we all keep pieces of string and out-of-date supermarket coupons. June 11, 2008 - There are, as I see it, two kinds of people. There are those who love to travel, people who would sooner let their drivers licenses lapse than their passports, and then there’s me. June 8, 2008 - I often find myself wondering how seemingly normal people ever wind up being criminal defense attorneys. That’s No First Lady, That’s My Wife June 4, 2008 - I must confess I got a chuckle out of Barack Obama’s warning us all to lay off his wife. News Items Certain To Spoil Your Day June 1, 2008 - One of the worst things about finding ourselves in the midst of a presidential race is that it distracts us from baseball. Perhaps if I lived in Boston or New York, I could find people who’d care to discuss the relative merits of Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon, but, unfortunately, I live in L.A., where large numbers of so-called fans regularly leave Dodger Stadium during the seventh or eighth inning in order to beat the traffic. Liberals And Their False Idols May 29, 2008 - There are major differences between liberals and conservatives, and that’s why I never know what people such as Barack Obama are talking about when they speak of bringing us all together. And I suspect that Jeremiah Wright’s surrogate son doesn’t know, either. May 26, 2008 -In case you missed it, John Murtha said John McCain is too old to be president. Of all the lines I’ve heard during this political season, that’s the one I enjoyed the most. It’s an odd thing about the way in which the two genders deal with their sexual experiences. May 17, 2008 - When I tell liberals that I can’t figure them out, they tend to assume I’m owning up to my own intellectual shortcomings. May 15, 2008 - Barack Obama gave a speech that his disciples compared favorably to the Gettysburg Address and the Sermon on the Mount, but which I thought came a lot closer to Richard Nixon’s “Checkers” speech, a desperate attempt to keep himself from being relegated to the trash heap of history. May 11, 2008 - Ivy certainly looks nice, but you wouldn’t want to stroll through it. May 6, 2008 - If I am asked one question by my readers far more frequently than any other, it’s why do so many American Jews insist on aligning themselves with the far left. Placing Liberals Under The Microscope April 30, 2008 - What makes liberals so endlessly fascinating isn’t just that they manage with a consistency that verges on the miraculous to be wrong on every important issue, but the latitude they extend to their political leaders to lie, cheat and steal. Where Have All The Moguls Gone? April 27, 2008 - For several years, I have marveled at the arrogance that Hollywood has displayed towards its customers. Still The Land Of Fruit Of Nuts April 20, 2008 - Because California, and Hollywood in particular, have been the punch line for so many jokes over the years, I suspect that people who don’t live out here assume we can’t possibly be that wacky. April 16, 2008 - Some mornings I wake up and, for a minute or two, I think that I must have been dreaming that there are conservatives who hate John McCain so much that, come November, they intend to stay home and let Bill Clinton’s wife or Jeremiah Wright’s surrogate nephew become president of the United States. April 13, 2008 - Even though I’m embarrassed to have been a Democrat for so many years, I’m proud that even in my 20’s, I thought the 60’s was the worst decade in America’s history. April 8, 2008 - A while back, I admitted that John McCain was not among my three favorite candidates for the Republican nomination. But I went on to say that if he emerged as the standard bearer for the GOP, he would get my vote. April 2, 2008 - -Living in L.A., I sometimes think I spend less time sleeping than tied up in traffic. In order that the time spent idling on the freeway shouldn’t be a total loss, I occasionally jot myself a note. March 23, 2008 - Now that a certain amount of time has elapsed, I am prepared to look back on the Academy Awards calmly and rationally. March 20, 2008 - One man’s tragedy is another man’s farce. March 17, 2008 - Frankly, I have been skeptical of the threat supposedly presented by global warming ever since I first heard Al Gore spouting off about it. A 12-Step Program For Recovering Liberals March 13, 2008 - Most 12-step programs start out by requiring that people have to understand that they’re powerless over their addiction and that only by turning their lives over to a Power greater than themselves can they be restored to sanity. Speaking Of Skunks, Dogs And Peanuts March 8, 2008 - It was many years ago that I discovered that I liked the smell of skunks. March 3, 2008 - A few years ago, I re-connected with a guy I hadn’t seen in about 50 years. February 28, 2008 - I have a confession to make. On many occasions, I have been one of those people who have ridiculed people for no other reason than that they’ve been lawyers. February 24, 2008 - After pondering the chasm that exists between liberals and conservatives, I’ve concluded that the differences must be determined by something as basic as their DNA. Time Once Again To Prohibit Prohibition February 20, 2008 - Admittedly, it’s a little late to make resolutions for 2008, but seeing as I only make them for other people, I don’t think the same time constraints are in order. Sorry You Missed My Book Signing February 17 2008 - Recently, I hosted a book-signing here in Los Angeles. February 10, 2008 - Some years ago, I was a movie reviewer. I started out at UCLA, reviewing for the Daily Bruin, and then moved on to be the first critic for Los Angeles magazine. All told, I stuck it out for about a dozen years. February 5, 2008 - Sometimes we become so accustomed to the way things are, we fail to notice how peculiar they happen to be. January 30, 2008 - Sometimes we become so accustomed to the way things are, we fail to notice how peculiar they happen to be. All Kidding Aside, Barack Obama For President??!! January 27, 2008 - One of the obvious differences between Democrats and Republicans is the role that religion plays in their presidential campaigns. A Few Words In Defense Of Torture January 23, 2008 - Sometimes I get the idea that America’s MSM is nothing more than an off-shoot of Al Jazeera, a well-oiled propaganda machine for all things Islamic. January 7, 2008 - For nearly my entire life, I have been aware that there’s no explaining a large segment of the population. December 30, 2007 - There are any number of things that don’t seem to bother the rest of you that manage to keep me awake nights. December 23, 2007 - There are three groups of people whose work is never finished. The first of these are the guys who apparently spend their entire working lives painting the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm Happy To Live In A Christian Nation December 16, 2007 - Usually, when people say they’re not religious, they’re looking to pick a fight or at least start an argument. December 9, 2007 - I believe I could very well be the only person in America with a TV set who has never watched a single so-called reality show. What Do Stan Laurel, A Shark and Hillary Clinton Have In Common December 5, 2007 - A symbiotic relationship is one in which both parties benefit. Some of these are stranger than others, and some even manage to benefit those outside the relationship. December 1, 2007 - It was 142 years ago that Lewis Carroll, aka mathematician Charles Dodgson, wrote about young Alice following the large rabbit down that famous hole in the ground. November 25, 2007 - I used to believe that one of the reasons that a lot of the male movie stars of the 30s and 40s drank so much was out of guilt that they were making more money in a week than most Americans earned in a year, and that even in the middle of the Great Depression they were living like royalty. November 21, 2007 - One of the silliest complaints that liberals never tire of leveling against conservatives is that we’re divisive. I should hope so. November 18, 2007 - I used to believe that one of the reasons that a lot of the male movie stars of the 30s and 40s drank so much was out of guilt that they were making more money in a week than most Americans earned in a year, and that even in the middle of the Great Depression they were living like royalty. November 14, 2007 - I’ve been in the WGA for nearly 40 years. Getting A Few Things Off My Chest November 11, 2007 - It’s not true that I go through life constantly irked by the lunacy that surrounds us all. November 7, 2007 - There are certain arcane matters that I fully comprehend. Among them are baseball’s infield fly rule, how to read the Racing Form and even how to decipher the critical raves they run in ads for really rotten motion pictures. And The Award Goes To... Chris Matthews November 4, 2007 - There are two kinds of awards in the world -- good ones and bad ones. It is simple enough to distinguish between them. Why The Democrats Deserve To Lose November 1, 2007 - I know that most people, even my fellow conservatives, think I’m kidding when I say that it mystifies me that the Democrats constitute a major political party. October 28, 2007 - Back in the 1950s, a southern journalist named Harry Golden became famous by turning out a series of best-selling books, the first of which he called “Only in America.” October 25, 2007 - There are times when my brain reminds me of those kitchen drawers filled with buttons, rubber bands, pieces of string and old recipes for sponge cake. If you’re anything like me, you finally reach the point where you decide that if you don’t clear the stuff out, you’ll soon find yourself up to your knees in clutter. October 21, 2007 - Until I read her obituary in this morning’s paper, I had never even heard of Eva Crane, who died the other day at 95. Records That Really Didn't Need Breaking October 18, 2007 - As a rule, if I think about places where I’m most likely to encounter truly eccentric characters, I think first about English mystery novels, the floor of the U.S. Senate or my family reunions. The Nobel Peace Prize For Gorebal Warming October 14, 2007 - From now on, Al Gore will no longer be best known as the man who lost the presidency because he couldn’t even carry his own home state. Some Things Really Are Black And White October 10, 2007 - Recent events remind me how much I dislike liars, cheaters and those who aspire to victimhood simply so they can cash in.
October 6, 2007 - I think that enough time has now elapsed since Mahmud Ahmadinejad addressed the old fools at the U.N. and the young fools at Columbia so that we can view the events with a clear and dispassionate eye. September 29, 2007 - I’ll come right out and admit that I understand Islamic terrorists far better than I do American liberals. September 23, 2007 - Lately, I’ve been reading even more books than usual about a period that’s always fascinated me; namely, the late 40s and early 50s, the time of the Hollywood blacklist. September 19, 2007 - I assume that 75 year old Dan Rather doesn’t play golf or collect stamps or knit. Because, obviously, if he had a hobby, he wouldn’t have decided to spend a major portion of his golden years pursuing even more gold than he already has. John Edwards: A Man For No Reasons September 12, 2007 - Recently, a friend wondered if John Edwards might not be the biggest hypocrite in our nation’s political history. September 9, 2007 - Every so often I hear from a self-anointed right-wing commissar that I’m not really a conservative simply because he’s disagreed with something I wrote. A Few Thoughts About Compassion September 6, 2007 - Most people would include compassion on the short list of human virtues. At one point, I would have been one of those people.
September 2, 2007 - It was bad enough seeing those folks at the game in San Francisco giving Barry Bonds a standing ovation, but I really could have done without George Bush calling to congratulate him. Michael Vick And Multi-Culturalism August 28, 2007 - As repulsive as Michael Vick’s actions were, what I’ve heard and read in the aftermath has struck me as being far worse. August 26, 2007 - Not long ago, I read about a study conducted by Dr. Nicholas A. Christakis of Harvard Medical School and James H. Fowler of UC San Diego which suggested that obesity often spreads through a social network, a pattern of contagion usually associated with such diseases as influenza and AIDS. Confession Of A Recovering Democrat August 22, 2007 - I grew up in a home in which Franklin Roosevelt was regarded as a saint. Is it any wonder that it took me so many years before I finally saw the light? The Private Lives Of Public Men August 19, 2007 - Lately, there have been a lot of nasty rumors floating around about Rudy and Judith Giuliani. August 15, 2007 - I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make sense of the world. Which is probably all the proof anyone needs to prove that I’m certifiably loony. August 12, 2007 - Nothing that I’ve written recently has stirred up the hornets quite as much as a piece in which I declared my support for Rudy Giuliani. I can’t say I was too shocked. August 8, 2007 - Because I’m convinced that, come November of 2008, Hillary Clinton will be the presidential candidate of the Socialist party, I think it’s particularly important that the Republicans nominate Rudy Giuliani. August 5, 2007 - Some people used to refer to Ronald Reagan as the Teflon president because no matter how much mud his political foes threw at him, nothing stuck. August 1, 2007 - I would like to know the name of the buffoon who first decided that competition was a bad thing. A New Wrinkle For Mr. Van Winkle July 29, 2007 - In the old days, it seems to me, people went in far more for predicting the future. July 26, 2007 - Some people simply have an affinity for groups. July 21, 2007 - The last time I saw “The Wizard of Oz,” I found myself identifying not with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man or even the Cowardly Lion, but with Toto. July 18, 2007 - Lately, I’ve been hearing rumors that prominent liberal politicians, the very same people who are always proclaiming themselves passionate advocates for free speech, are looking into ways to muzzle conservative radio talk show hosts. Why Aren’t We Out-Sourcing Our Politicans? July 15, 2007 - The other day, I had an argument with someone over the out-sourcing of American jobs. July 11, 2007 - Perhaps it’s all this warm weather, but I find myself bursting with notions. July 1, 2007 - June 28th was a very fine day, indeed. For one thing, under pressure from my fellow Americans, the boobs in the Beltway caved in, and stopped trying to shove the amnesty bill down our collective throats. June 27, 2007 - Not too long ago, I observed that self-esteem, at least so far as our young people are concerned, has been turned on its head. Out-Sourcing As A Cause Of Celebration June 24, 2007 - In certain circles, I’m known as the big idea guy. Okay, granted they’re pretty small, fairly odd circles... Jimmy Carter, The Muslims & Other Catastrophes June 21, 2007 - Can’t anybody shut up Jimmy Carter once and for all? By Higher Education, They Mean The Prices June 17, 2007 - Like all of my conservative colleagues, I have often taken up a cudgel or even an axe in the ongoing battle with liberals, leftists, Socialists, progressives, Maoists, Castroites, Communists, and all the other whack-jobs on the wrong side of history. June 12, 2007 - Recently, I was on a panel addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition here in the San Fernando Valley. June 10, 2007 - In this fast-paced world, there are times when a commentator simply has to take a deep breath and try to play catch-up. I’d Rather Be (Far)Right Than President June 7, 2007 - I never wanted to be the President of the United States. June 3, 2007 - Recently, shut-ins, hospital patients and daytime TV addicts, have been treated to a whole lot of me. Perhaps “treated” isn’t the word that some of you would have come up with, but it’s my word and I’m sticking with it. May 30, 2007 - Many years ago, there was a popular radio quiz show called “20 Questions.” The challenge faced by the panelists was to come up with the identity of a person, place or object.
May 26, 2007 - If he were alive today, John Wayne would have just celebrated his hundredth birthday. What Is It With Jews And Guns? May 24, 2007 - The other day, a friend of mine asked me why I thought those on the left hate guns so much. Who‘s Storing Their Junk In My Brain? May 20, 2007 - Years ago, I recall reading a line in a Sherlock Holmes story in which Dr. Watson voiced surprise at discovering that his friend was unaware of something that any English school boy would have been expected to know. Holmes explained that inasmuch as the fact was unessential to his work, he preferred not knowing it. May 16, 2007 - Many years ago, I read Eric Hoffers’s book, “The True Believer.” In the course of which, Mr. Hoffer suggested that although you might think that Communists and Fascists were polar opposites, their similarities were far greater than their differences. More Opinions Than You Can Shake A Stick At May 13, 2007 - Recently, I was on a panel addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition here in the San Fernando Valley. May 9, 2007 - Years ago, I interviewed a very weird Hollywood character named Criswell. The main problem with pacifism is that it doesn’t work in all situations. The main problem with pacifists is that they’re convinced it does. May 4, 2007 - I keep reading that prisons are over-crowded. April 29, 2007 - Living in L.A., as I do, I don’t have wonderful choices when it comes to my local newspapers. Reasons I Won’t Vote For Obama April 25, 2007 - I have a friend who could very well be a speechwriter for Barack Obama. Although I consider her a liberal, I’m sure she regards herself as a moderate. April 19, 2007 - In the recent past, two unrelated news items grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. One, of course was the senseless massacre at Virginia Tech. Must Don Imus Die For Our Sins? April 12, 2007 - Until recently, Don Imus was little more than a name to me. Only once had I ever even heard his voice, and that only happened because I was driving in the hinterlands of California and kept fiddling with my radio dial searching for something other than static. April 11, 2007 - My mother died in 1981. Inasmuch as my father had passed away in 1969, that meant that I was officially an orphan at the age of 41. Or so it seemed. As it happens, I had no reason to fret about being parentless. April 8, 2007 - I recently had to fly up to San Francisco in order to appear on Ronn Owens’ popular radio show. It was the third time I had done an hour with the affable Mr. Owens, and it was the best one yet because it marked the first time I ever had listeners in the ultra liberal Bay area calling in to agree with me. April 8, 2007 - As a rule, I don’t like to tell people how to do their job. Putting Politicians In Perspective April 2, 2007 - There are politicians I like and there are those I don’t like. March 25, 2007 - Two recent news items grabbed my attention. March 25, 2007 - As some of you may be aware, I am one of the 175 or so older writers involved in a class action lawsuit that accuses the movie studios, the TV networks and a number of Hollywood talent agencies, of engaging in the unlawful practice of ageism. Cards For Absolutely All Occasions March 21, 2007 - Recently, I heard that the Hallmark Card Company was branching out. Which, if nothing else, is further proof that if I had decided to make my living as a businessman, today I would be one of those really annoying panhandlers offering to clean your pristine windshield with my filthy rag. Liberals, A Most Modest Proposal March 18, 2007 -My friend Pat Sajak recently made an excellent point. He said that inasmuch as he doesn’t take global warming to heart, he sees no good reason to alter his life style. March 11, 2007 - With the possibility that the Guild might be facing a strike for the first time in two decades, fear is not totally irrational. After all, there are mortgages to be paid; food and clothing to be purchased; and in some cases, mistresses and boy toys to be maintained. March 8, 2007 - Most people have a natural curiosity about their ancestors. I, on the other hand, have absolutely no interest in mine. Seeing as how my parents and their parents were all Russian Jewish peasants, I suspect that none of their ancestors ever had the opportunity to be anything else. March 4, 2007 - Whenever I start thinking about all the damage that’s been done to America by the social engineering Socialists, I have to remind myself that some of my best friends are left-wingers. An Inconvenient Truth About Al Gore February 27, 2007 - The only awards show I ever watch is Hollywood’s annual ego fest, the bestowing of the Oscars. For one thing, the shows are always funny even if the jokes aren’t. Liberal Fat Cats And Other Things That Need Fixing February 21, 2007 - Somebody recently observed that it is a waste of time to argue with idiots because they drag you down to their level, and then beat you with experience. It’s a good line, but not exactly true. Global Warming And Other Urban Legends February 21, 2007 - I don’t know how long urban legends have been with us, or why it is we never hear about rural or even suburban legends, but it seems to me there’s been a major change in these silly things over the past few years. February 18, 2007 - As a rule, I don’t like to tell people how to do their job. After all, one minute you’re complaining about the way some waiter or plumber or truck driver is going about his business, and the next thing you know, one of these fellows is looking you in the eye, making a fist, and saying, “Oh yeah? If you think you can do better, wise guy, let’s see you try.” February 14, 2007 - I used to be addicted to cigarettes. Back when I was smoking, I didn’t consider myself hooked. A Few Thoughts While Watching Carrie Fisher Kvetch February 11, 2007 - My wife wanted to see Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show, so there we were the other night in the mezzanine of the Geffen Playhouse, while on stage Princess Leia, of “Star Wars” fame, bellyached about the hardships of growing up as the privileged daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. February 7, 2007 - I got an e-mail the other day from a fellow who scolded me for being so naïve as to imagine that just because someone wasn’t a conservative, he must be a liberal. Why Things At The Roxie Aren’t So Ritzy February 4, 2007 - A few weeks ago, I was a member of a panel that discussed movies. At one point, the moderator asked us to compare today’s actors with those in the past. January 31, 2007 - My wife insists I’m weird. This isn’t a recent development, but she is more convinced than ever all because I told her I preferred standard-size bath towels. Will Jimmy Carter Please Go Away January 28, 2007 - Years ago, when I still worked in advertising, I was a copywriter on the Mattel account. It should have been fun because they made toys. January 24, 2007 - Those of us on the right side of the political spectrum are so very aware of media bias that we are always shocked when our friends and associates on the left fail to recognize or acknowledge it. January 21, 2007 - I suppose it’s human nature to think that we shouldn’t settle for good because we have this hunch that waiting for us just around the corner is something better. January 19, 2007 - As some of you may be aware, I am one of the 175 or so older writers involved in a class action lawsuit that accuses the movie studios, the TV networks and a number of Hollywood talent agencies, of engaging in the unlawful practice of ageism. January 16, 2007 - Two recent news items grabbed my attention. The first of them dealt with a brouhaha occurring down in Katy, Texas. January 10, 2007 - A lot of people were up in arms over Saddam Hussein’s execution. January 7, 2007 - For some time now, I’ve heard age-conscious people claim that 70 is the new 60, and 60 is the new 50, and 50 is the new 40, and so on and so forth. Sane Thoughts About An Insane World January 3, 2007 - When I was a youngster, I had this odd notion that Earth served as a loony bin for the entire galaxy -- the place where Martians and Venusians sent their crazies. Now that I’m an oldster, I’m convinced I was right. December 31, 2006 - It can be a curse to be logical, as I continue, to my dismay, to discover. There are other tribulations which we all have to deal with, such as traffic jams, bad movies, and liberal bias in the mass media. December 25, 2006 - As a rule, I like to give well-intentioned movies the benefit of the doubt, saving my barbs and jibes for the loathsome likes of “Borat.” December 25, 2006 - Recently, I received an e-mail from a young associate pastor in Maryland. He introduced himself as an avid fan of M*A*S*H. He said that one of his favorite episodes had been one I wrote, Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler? and that he was considering using the show as an inspiration for an upcoming sermon. December 20, 2006 - When it comes to giving gifts, there are only two kinds of people. There are those who not only know the perfect present, but know where to get it. Then there are those who would rather fight a bull than to have to go shopping. December 16, 2006 - As you probably noticed, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threw a party and you weren’t invited. At least I hope you weren’t invited. December 13, 2006 - The first principle of the Hippocratic Oath, which all physicians are sworn to abide by, is: Do no harm. I don’t want to be regarded as a nitpicker, but, as standards go, I’d say that’s a pretty measly one. Gold-Diggers And Sugar Daddies December 10, 2006 - I just finished reading an interesting book. December 6, 2006 - Most people tell me that they barely recall their childhoods. I, on the other hand, remember quite a bit. December 3, 2006 -If there is any among you who still thinks the mass media isn’t in the pocket of the Left, you merely have to compare how the Plame affair went from being the biggest scandal since Capt. Dreyfuss to a non-story once the crime couldn’t be laid at the feet of Karl Rove or Dick Cheney. |
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I went out and bought the flag because of my grandparents. I should explain I had never known my dad’s parents, both of whom died before I was born. I knew my mother’s parents, but could never speak to them. Although they had come to America in 1921, they never learned English. They could speak Russian and Hebrew, but they preferred Yiddish. I couldn’t converse in any of those languages. And, so, to me, my grandmother was this little old woman who would give me a wet kiss on the cheek and slip a quarter into my hand. My grandfather was a very quiet, bearded man who always wore a black frock coat; he looked like a short Abe Lincoln. He went to shul twice a day. When he was home, he was either reading the Torah, shelling lima beans or sipping tea through a sugar cube held between his front teeth. In short, if my life were a movie, they’d have been dress extras.
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 Date: March 20, 2008 Dear Mr. Prelutsky: Thank you for writing to express your support for the use of enhanced interrogation tactics, such as waterboarding. I appreciate your thoughts and comments on this important topic and welcome the opportunity to respond. Unfortunately we will have to agree to disagree on this issue. I believe that cruel and degrading treatment of prisoners under American control makes us less safe, violates our Nation's values, and damages America's reputation in the world. It is also illegal. Common Article Three of the Geneva Conventions, to which the United States is a party, prohibits "cruel treatment and torture" and "humiliating and degrading treatment." Unfortunately, while techniques such as waterboarding have been regularly held as illegal and prosecuted by past Administrations, the Executive Branch has interpreted the law in a way that I believe to be incorrect. In 2004, the bipartisan 9/11 Commission called for humane treatment of those captured by the United States Government and our allies in the struggle against terrorism. Congress and the Pentagon responded with the clear and comprehensive rules of the Army Field Manual to ensure that all military interrogations are both humane and effective. However, the Army Field Manual does not apply to the Central Intelligence Agency. I authored a provision that would apply the Army Field Manual's established interrogation standards to all interrogations conducted by the U.S. Intelligence Community. This provision is a part of the Conference Report on the Intelligence Authorization Act (H.R. 2082) which passed by the Senate on February 13, 2008. The Army Field Manual was written over the course of three years, with review and input across the Department of Defense, and by the CIA, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Departments of State and Justice. The Manual authorizes 19 non-coercive interrogation techniques. They are proven, and they are effective. Additionally, the Army Field Manual has been used exclusively by the entire Department of Defense since the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, and is fully consistent with the Geneva Conventions, the Convention Against Torture, and all U.S. law. It prohibits eight specific interrogation techniques, including waterboarding. The Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, testified to Congress on February 27, 2008, that waterboarding was a violation of the Geneva Conventions and was inhumane. It is especially important that this technique, which was developed in the Spanish Inquisition and has been the subject of a great deal of public debate, should be made illegal once and for all. On March 8, 2008, the President had the chance to end the torture debate for good, but instead chose to veto H.R. 2082. I regret that this veto leaves the door open to the use of torture in the future, and I believe that this does not serve our Nation well. I will continue to advocate for policies that both safeguard our Nation's security and preserve our moral authority in the world. Again, thank you for writing. I hope that you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. Best regards. Sincerely yours, Dianne Feinstein Burt replies: It is naive and dangerous to live by the rules of the Geneva Conventions when one's sworn enemy has not and would never sign on to abide by them. Imagine that you have captured an Islamic terrorist on 9/10/01 and, by refusing to cause him any discomfort, you did nothing to prevent 9/11 from happening. Inasmuch as the administration has used the technique only three times, you folks have over-reacted. For no better reason than partisan politics, you would place the lives of American soldiers and civilians at unnecessary risk. So, yes, we will continue to disagree. Sincerely, Burt Prelutsky Date: February 28, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: December 20, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: December 12, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: December 4, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: 29 October 2007 Dear Editor: Date: October 19, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: August 4, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: July 21, 2007 Dear Editor: Date: June 29, 2007 Dear Editor: |
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I was pleased to see that reader Konrad Moore recalled the line from the episode called "Images" that he credited to "the writers of MASH." The only problem is that "the writers" didn't write it, I did. And the line wasn't "Why would anyone scar their body with a picture you wouldn't dare hang in your home?" The actual line, delivered by Hawkeye to Radar, who was considering getting tattooed, was, "Why would anyone hang a picture on his body that he'd never think to hang on a wall?"