Ripped from the headlines

I read the opinion page every day and am frequently compelled to reply. However, I know that the papers can't print two or three of my missives a day, so I've decided to reproduce them here.

Ahem. Letters to the Deseret Morning News followed by my replies.

Feds want your e-mails

A story in the Deseret Morning News ("To delete or keep: E-mail is a problem," Aug. 8) cautions governments and corporations from deleting legitimate e-mail. Expensive measures are being called into place to archive the mail for future subpoena purposes. Think Enron on one hand. Think Monicagate on the other. Next they'll ask us to keep recordings of all our phone conversations.

Big brother gets bigger � with good reasons, as always. What about all those business propositions I get from Nigeria? Do I have to keep those? One man's junk is another man's treasure. You never know what an IRS (or other ABC) agent might find lucky.

Sterling D. Allan
Ephraim

My reply:

You headlined Sterling Allan's letter, "Feds want your email." I'm not sure if that's what he meant, but if they want my email, they're welcome to it along with the 90% which is spam.

As for his assertion that this is Big Brother growing bigger, I suggest he re-read 1984 and compare it with our society. The country described in that book has no free press, no open and independent courts and a two-way device in every home that allows the government to watch the governed. If anything, Americans have more freedom than is good for them and they're claiming everyday that there is some new right that everyone is entitled to. You want freedom? Try self-discipline.

Land efforts applauded

I appreciated the article on the Alliance for Unity taking a stand to support open space protection "with a sense of urgency" (July 18). Along with both gubernatorial candidates, who have indicated support for additional open space acquisition, I applaud the Alliance for foresight and leadership.. . .

I hope voters will support candidates and elected officials who will follow the expressions of Alliance for Unity.

Ralph Becker
Utah House of Representatives, District 24
Salt Lake City

My reply:

Who chose the name of the Alliance for Unity? Isn't an alliance unified by definition? It sounds like "Swimmers for Getting Wet." Yet it has raised millions and enjoys the support of a lot of people, but it seems more interested in liberal causes than anything else. We'd all be unified if we all adopted the same opinions about everything, until we had to decide who should lead us.
I'd like to solicit donations for my pet project, Concerned Apathetics for America. After all, apathetics cast the most votes in every election -- by not voting.