Tabloid Era

Kirk Douglas’ May 7 commentary, “Sex Gossip Begone: End the Tabloid Era to Fulfill America’s Potential,” was one of the most unwittingly funny things that I have read in a long time.

Douglas is right that we have a problem in politics in this country, but it’s not about sex and gossip. He recounts encouraging his son to go into politics. And what are his son’s qualifications for politics? Is it that he has studied the issues and developed creative solutions to America’s problems? Is it because of his great compassion for the average American? No, it’s because he’s a Hollywood star with lots of money. The fact that this qualifies one to be a politician is a much deeper problem than the media’s reporting of anybody’s sex life.

ROBERT V. BREUNIG

Riverside

* Three cheers to Douglas. Don’t the politicians understand that far more benefits arise from cooperation and mutual problem-solving than from dirt-digging and name-calling?

JOHN GOODE

San Diego