In an effort to voice her displeasure with all that’s so wrong in our beleaguered country these days, Maureen Ellermann’s excellent letter “Be the American people” deserves credit for its directness, straightforwardness and freewheeling style (Monitor Letters, July 29).
In it she says she “screams” about everything from our lack of universal health care to climate change to the children starving and dying in Yemen – and that we should do the same.
But isn’t this reminiscent of the part Peter Finch plays in the film Network, whereupon he summons everyone to throw open their windows and shout, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore?”
More particularly, Ellermann seems to argue that, for the sake preserving our democracy, we do as she does and send “letter after letter and email after email.” Likewise, she seems to dare to pose the question, “But are you an American?” and if in fact you are you had better begin to act like one – by yelling about it to neighbors, to Congress and to your state and local officials alike.
Let them know how we feel.
To get across the idea that we take our positions as citizens of this wayward nation seriously, the time has drawn nigh that we fall in line with Ellermann’s outstanding example – no, that of Finch! – and shout loudly enough to be heard all the way to Washington.
Get on the ball now – your pristine keyboard stands at the ready.
TIMOTHY LANGLAIS
Concord