Art and Politics 

Editor:

The idea, as espoused in your issue of Nov. 7 ("Love the Alien"), that the fine arts do nothing to inspire lofty seeking, realization and action but only "comment" upon these after the fact is too ludicrous to be borne with equanimity.

Ana Daksina, Eureka

Editor:

Collin Yeo's Nov. 7 column was particularly pathetic drivel. Personally, I would have preferred to just ignore Yeo's ignorance but Yeo's misuse of the name and legacy of one of my favorite authors in the quote below was just simply too stupid to pass up.

Yeo said, "The only reason I talk about politics so much in a local music column is that I understand, as Gore Vidal did, that politics inform everything. ... The Democrats blame the chimera of Russia for losing..."

Seriously? Invoking the name of the late, great Gore Vidal to justify your own personal delusions, Mr. Yeo? STFU.

I assure you, Mr. Yeo, Russia is not illusory, nor is the ongoing threat that the current fascist Russian kleptocracy poses to American democratic institutions. The continuing illegal Russian intervention in the American political system is very much a reality, whether you care to open your eyes or not.

Yes, Gore Vidal was a left wing socialist who was correctly extremely critical of U.S. foreign policy and politics generally, but Vidal was most definitely never a supporter of Soviet totalitarianism (unlike Bernie Sanders, who was a Soviet supporter). Nor was Vidal ever a pro-Russian apologist like so many older, Soviet-era American socialists unfortunately are to this day. Can you say "Bernie Bros?"

Mr. Yeo, I would suggest that in the future you "stick to your lane" when writing your music columns, but based upon the content of your columns, one could hardly consider music to be your lane, either!

Any more recommendations this week for your favorite tone deaf, talentless, neo-yuppie punk bands spending their rich daddy's money on overpriced musical instruments that they can barely play? After all, why waste thousands from your trust fund on vintage, brand-name musical instruments when you would sound every bit as musically incompetent on the cheaper generic versions?

Speaking of crappy punk rock music, bring back Bob Doran already! And if Gore Vidal were still alive today, he'd probably vote for Elizabeth Warren.

Jake Pickering, Arcata

Editor:

I write this letter to urge all to vote in the 2020 election, and vote as if your life and the life of our republic depended on the outcome, because they do. When asked what kind of a government we had just affirmed over 250 years ago, Benjamin Franklin said, "A republic, if we can keep it." We have kept it from the time Franklin spoke those words but we are at the dark crossroads envisioned by our founders that will, in fact, determine if we can keep our republic in the future.

So I urge all registered voters and those who will register to vote, and to vote for keeping that republic our founding fathers fought so hard to establish. Vote for those who will respect their oath of office to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. Vote for those who will not lie to you habitually. Vote for those who will not collude with foreign powers that are adversaries to our nation's goals in order to secure private gain. Vote for those who are moral and ethical, and have a track record of being so. Vote for those who will represent those who believe in "the common good" for our nation, rather than the good that profits the special interests or those who put up the most money for those representatives' campaigns. Vote for those who will unite and not divide. Vote for those who will not encourage their staffs to lie to Congress or obstruct the lawful subpoenas to stand before committees to speak the truth. But above all, vote, and show the world what kind of a nation and what kind of people we actually are.

Alan Edwards, McKinleyville