Americans should not take threats
from North Korea seriously
After Sony was hacked (presumably by North Korea) because of its comedy that was about to be released about assassinating Kim Jong Un (their "Great Leader"), movie theaters were apparently threatened and many chose not to show the movie. Consequently Sony canceled its release.
Sony says — commendably, in my view — that it remains committed to releasing the movie but it needs distributors who aren't cowed by North Korean (or other) threats.
Did theater chains accurately gauge the spirit of Americans that we would stay away in droves from theaters that were showing "The Interview," even avoiding other movies being shown in the same complex?
I would like to think that, in defense of free speech and the First Amendment, many brave Americans would make a point of going to see the movie and certainly wouldn't avoid seeing others in the same movie complex.
North Korea — while it has rudimentary nuclear weapons (and gulags) — is otherwise a joke. An excellent recent book about it is Suki Kim's "Without You, There Is No Us: My Time With the Sons of North Korea's Elite."
— Rick Wicks
Anchorage
Opening doors to success can move country forward
In years past, America was exceptional, but that word wasn't spoken aloud as we didn't need to puff our chest out. We were a humble people who spoke only by acts and truly what came from the heart, and we did what was right. Hard-working Americans, along with immigrants who applied to become accepted and went through a process to come here legally with what it took to become an American, shaped this country (and that way is now considered broken?).
Today, America boasts about how exceptional we are, but everyone knows that when you have to build yourself up in order to look good you really are not all that good. It's really a shame we have allowed this country to slide to where we are now. Politicians and especially the president are so worried about the "legacy" they want to leave rather than worrying about uplifting Americans by opening doors and creating avenues that allow people to make something of themselves, allowing success and therefore passing that forward to their children so they too have a chance to succeed.
The only thing about the president's iconic "Hope and Change" promise is that when his time is over we can all "hope for a real change" that will turn this country around and start to rebuild what once was exceptional.
— Rolf L Bilet
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.