What he says of others could be said of him

Re “The clay feet of liberal saints,” Opinion, Jan. 5

Is Jonah Goldberg trying to convict George Clooney of guilt by social-movement association? If not, then I’m not sure why he even mentions Clooney, because he certainly isn’t an example of the flawed characters mentioned in the column.

With the recent press coverage of criminal activities of conservative leaders, one could easily write an equally vague “guilt by association” piece about Goldberg, which would also contribute nearly nothing to the ongoing liberal-conservative debate.

CHRISTIAN BREIDING

Glendale

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Goldberg is guilty of the same kind of deception that he accuses liberals of. When he discusses Martin Luther King Jr. as an American icon, he conveniently ignores King’s activities during the latter part of his life when King opposed the Vietnam War and called into question the fairness of the American economic system through the Poor People’s Campaign.

Did Goldberg ignore this part of King’s life because King raised issues that Goldberg doesn’t see as fitting in with his ideal of an American icon? Or is it because Goldberg doesn’t agree with King’s views on these issues? Either way, Goldberg is guilty of deception.

WAYNE SHAPIRO

West Hills

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Goldberg could list all the liberal “liars” of the 20th century, but none would even come close to President Bush and his administration, whose lies have caused thousands of deaths, destruction and the animosity of millions of people throughout the world.

BOB MURTHA

Santa Maria