To: Newsletter
From: Peter Rivard
Subject: addendum

Hi, all,

In my last letter, a few minutes ago, I wrote that while official Japan can be idiotic, it doesn't necessarily reflect the Japanese people. An example of the same thing in America--politicians playing to the extremists rather than to the sane majority--just occurred to me. The Texas Republican Party's official plank is to push for overturning the First Amendment. They have dedicated themselves to officially declaring the United States to be a Christian nation and a Christian government. I can't believe this reflects the views of even the average Republican in Texas, much less the average American. So it pains me a bit to read about someone saying how crazy and intransigent the Japanese are about whaling because some nutjob minister has suggested that whales eating too much fish are the cause of world hunger. The Japanese think the guy's an idiot, too. He may well lose his job.

Of course, with the uproar about the pledge court decision, maybe the Texas party hacks aren't so crazy.
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