LETTERS
LETTERS to the Editor Tribute In my many years reading The Progressive I have been stirred with indignation, and pleased by articles and exposes, but none of these matters has stirred my emotions...
...One nitpick, however: In the lead paragraph of Jason Vest's article, "Leader of the Fringe," Linda Thompson is called "a frumpy Hoosier computer junkie...
...He soon adds, "Coal and uranium are only good for holding up the ground...
...Those of us who worked with this deeply caring person will miss her even though we did not get to know her as well as those who worked with her daily...
...There are remaining, alas, few editors of her caliber, few guardians against the constant debasement of the English language in most publications...
...Her generosity to a complete beginner was typical of her...
...So what is he proposing we use as a fuel...
...May many more long lives speak for her efforts in The Progressive...
...Usually even the best specialist in your town won't charge any more than a plumber's weekend call...
...RudolfBuri Albuquerque, New Mexico To Hell and Back A. Kent MacDougall's article ("Health-Care Hell: One Man's Descent into the Abyss," March issue) detailing his problems with a managed-care network echoes the problems faced by our union members in dealing with Sanus, which is Texas's largest HMO...
...It is not funny...
...The purposeful life of that great lady came through in the words of your tribute...
...In the recent legislative session, the Democrats introduced HB 1079, which as originally drafted would have required the Greens to have 14,000 members by next January, almost twenty times the membership that we currently have...
...if a change can be made, you may save years of discomfort...
...Frank de la Rosa Brooklyn, NY Green Pastures Iwas pleasantly surprised to read about the New Mexico Green Party ("Green Party Revival," by Joseph Skinner, May issue...
...While I'm writing I'd like to congratulate you on the excellent, informative June issue focusing on the pathetic but scary self-styled militias...
...In the article, "Militia Nation" (Chip Beriet and Matthew N. Lyons, June issue), which detailed examples of government abuse of individuals, there was no mention of one of the most flagrant of all examples: in Los Angeles, the government has long been using the most unscrupulous tactics to deport a group of individuals engaged in perfectly legitimate advocacy...
...We spoke on the phone at various intervals, when she needed the opinion of a librarian, but there was never enough that I could do to repay her kindness...
...Violence comes in different forms, and yours is a much more subtle one...
...If nothing more can be done, at least you'll be more comfortable with the situation...
...I assume there are members from the Arab-American community on a journal that calls itself The Progressive...
...A frump is a dowdy, unattractive woman—and though she may well be, I wonder if "slobby Rush Lim-baugh" or "paunchy President Clinton" would be leading— or relevant—descriptions in an article about their ideas and activities...
...Community colleges often have good used texts at a modest cost...
...The State Historical Society had just published my first book, a bibliography of underground/ alternative newspapers, and I had written The Progressive to see if it could be reviewed...
...For about a dozen years, starting in 1967, I wrote art and book reviews for The Progressive and it was Mary, of course, who was my editor...
...She and I met for a cup of tea and, as I recall, a cigarette for her...
...I believe we can if we actively court the progressive element of the Democrats and seek the support of our state's vibrant American-Indian, Hispanic, African-American, female, and lesbian and gay populations...
...Shame on you...
...But they do not seem to have been vigilant...
...However, I thought for the benefit of other readers I would add a few of the lessons I took away from the matter...
...Richard L. Cooper Geneva, Illinois Your note about Mary Sheridan's death reminded me of a great kindness that she did for me more than twenty years ago...
...Why do you think it is funny to denigrate the symbols of Christianity...
...In fact she gave the book the inside front cover...
...I would think this more distracting than helpful...
...Joanna Pasternak Vice President American Federation of Teachers—AFL-CIO Houston, Texas Having suffered through a painful episode of "managed-care syndrome" similar to A. Kent MacDougall's, I could only laugh as he all-too-accurately described the procession of pamphlets, befuddled doctors, and extraneous medication that accompanies the affliction...
...Mary called me to say that it wasn't really appropriate, a judgment I now agree with, but perhaps she could help with the publicity...
...In one of your articles of said issue, you refer to people getting bolder and bolder in their acts of violence...
...In my long career as a writer and journalism educator, the memory of her abides...
...It was—and is—sad, because only The Progressive among opinion magazines made any effort to let the world know that art happens—happens a lot—outside of New York...
...The compromise law that was passed requires the Greens to have 2,500 registered voters, or one-third of 1 percent of all registered voters in the state by January, and at least one candidate must garner an amount equal to 5 percent of the total votes cast in the next Presidential election...
...Please refer to the cartoon on Page 45 of your June issue (reproduced below...
...If a physician is receiving a large percentage of his patients from the HMO, he usually will not fight for his patients' rights as doctors can be dropped for being "not cost effective...
...The medical director, who is a doctor but also has not seen the patient, steps in only on an appeal or when requested by the insurer...
...James P. Danky Madison, Wisconsin With great sadness I read of the death of Mary Sheridan...
...All letters may be edited for clarity and conciseness...
...In most large HMOs, this is who approves and denies all treatments...
...As stated in the article, we do have major-party status— for now...
...As the insurance laws stand now, a nurse who has never seen the patient is allowed to deny a referral or treatment plan prescribed by a primary-care physician based on a protocol book...
...Number two, see a specialist at your own expense...
...Talk about cost if you're concerned about it...
...Sadly, at some point she told me that space limitations meant that art reviews were being discontinued...
...And thanks for the good interview with Steinern, who has been getting a bum rap, when not totally ignored, by the fickle media...
...But I still have in my files, along with yellowed copies of the magazine, her gentle, encouraging, complimentary notes...
...Brian Johnston Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Inorganic Matter Amory Lovins has certainly succeeded in confusing me (Interview, May issue...
...If someone is attempting to interview another person, I would think the primary object of the interview should be to clarify points like these...
...In fact, it is offensive...
...Number one, read all about it...
...Ann Morrissett Davidon Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Vigilance Lacking With the pervasive anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice in the American media across the political spectrum (manifested again in the days following the Oklahoma atrocity), it was insensitive of Loretta J. Ross ("Saying It with a Gun," June issue) to write that Waco, Texas, has become the 'Mecca' of white supremacist pilgrimages, "vowing revenge...
...I'm not a femi-nazi, but (in the bad old days, progressives would preface their remarks with, "I'm not a communist, but") sexist attitudes do insinuate themselves even into The Progressive, which has increasingly and commendably included women on its staff and among its columnists...
...Charles Gene McDaniel Chicago, Illinois Pick a Nit I'm sorry to hear of the death of Mary Sheridan, who was such a considerate book editor and encouraged me in the 1970s when I was just starting to do extensive book criticisms for The Progressive and other publications...
...I met Mary only once, an occasion when I was in Madison covering a story for The Associated Press...
...As benefits representative for the Houston Federation of Teachers, I assist members with sometimes life-threatening delays and denials and often am only able to resolve them by appealing to the State Board of Insurance...
...The only answer is to lobby for laws that prohibit such conflicts of interest in patient care and rule out any person who has not seen a patient from making treatment choices...
...At one point in the interview, Lovins states, "Oil imports would become unnecessary...
...A doctor, or staff, unsympathetic to your concerns won't be too helpful anyway...
...One can imagine the protests had she written that Waco was a white-supremacist Vatican, or a Hebron, where gun-carrying supremacists have erected a memorial to Baruch Goldstein, who massacred nearly thirty worshipers in a mosque...
...It can't hurt, and if your problem goes on for years, it may help...
...In addition, clinics, such as the one described by MacDougall, often receive a quarterly bonus for holding down tests and referral expense...
...Maybe Kupfer should start growing inorganic food...
...Can we maintain our current status...
...Have all your medical records forwarded for the specialist's review and ask specifically if the record indicates an adequate workup...
...When did The Progressive last review this case...
...LETTERS to the Editor Tribute In my many years reading The Progressive I have been stirred with indignation, and pleased by articles and exposes, but none of these matters has stirred my emotions as did the tribute to Mary Sheridan Rubin...
...Pilgrimages to Mecca are occasions for a supreme display of interracial harmony, not of supremacist revenge and hatred...
...Terry Scott Seattle, Washington The editors welcome correspondence from readers on all topics, but prefer to publish letters that comment directly on material previously published in The Progressive...
...Ralph D. Mayer Brewster, Massachusetts Shame...
...But do your homework—read and learn the anatomy and physiology along with the "miracle cures...
...Later on, Lovins states that people working in well-designed offices can "hear themselves think...
...But then it is not surprising we hear so little of this, for most of the defendants, and their cause, are Palestinian...
...It is no less violent because it is in the form of a cartoon...
Vol. 59 • July 1995 • No. 7
