Letters From the May 2026 Issue
Voting for vets… The meaning of evangelical… Billionaire ball clubs…
Voting for Vets
“Hell Cats vs. Hegseth,” by Joan Walsh [February 2026], leaves me questioning how much the four Hell Cats— JoAnna Mendoza, Rebecca Bennett, Maura Sullivan, and Cait Conley—despite their good points, will resist the brutal domination of the US empire around the world. America’s militarized foreign policy spreads disaster abroad, treats economic competitors as enemies, and siphons tax dollars from our communities. Will the women just be four more Democrats voting for an ever-expanding military budget? I’d like to know.
Anne Cassebaum
elon, nc
The quotes by these candidates who served in the US military derive from the belief that we are the good guys, a deeply rooted propaganda that proliferates across our society. I hope that these women may yet find a way to reassess their military experiences as they run for elected office. Since World War II, the United States has not “won” a war despite astronomical Pentagon budgets (which never pass an audit) and unrestrained bombing attacks that result in what is coyly termed “collateral damage.” To date, there has been zero accountability for the criminal war visited upon Iraq by the US with full bipartisan support.
Thea Paneth
northampton, ma
I’m uncomfortable about supporting these professional military people for public office. It doesn’t make a difference to me that they’re women. To gain trust, they should state clearly that our military is out of control and needs to be significantly reduced for the good of all.
William Forrest
rochester, ny
The Meaning of Evangelical
Thank you for Barry Yourgrou’s well-researched article about Pastor Martin Niemöller, a controversial figure in Germany before, during, and after World War II [“Why Martin Niemöller Didn’t Speak Out,” February 2026]. In it, Yourgrou notes that “in Germany, evangelical just means Protestant.” However, evangelical comes from the Greek euangelion, which means “good news” or “gospel.” There are many Protestant churches, especially Lutheran ones, that include the term evangelical as part of the name of their church. Its meaning is so much broader, deeper, and comprehensive than Protestant.
The Rev. Bonnie M. Oplinger
shillington, pa
Billionaire Ball Clubs
As someone who decries the luxury-box culture that has overtaken US sports, I eagerly read Cole Stangler’s article about a French soccer team setting a different example [“How a French City Kept Its Soccer Team Working-Class,” February 2026]. But describing the club’s owner, the American businessman Frank McCourt, as a “philanthropist” is a stretch. When, some years ago, McCourt finally sold the Los Angeles Dodgers, he held on to the parking lots at Chavez Ravine, whose exorbitant fees remain a bane for Dodgers fans to this day. In LA, no one thinks of him as a philanthropist.
Sean Mitchell
dallas, tx
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