Letters: Dec. 12, 2018

How Crosby song really was written

"Swinging on a Star" is not "by Bing Crosby," as stated in the excellent article about Alan Barnett. It was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke. Intellectual property rights are real and important, as we hope to convince China. Interestingly, Bing not only sang the song in "Going my Way", he inspired it, according to the story told in his discography:

Songwriter Van Heusen was at Crosby’s house one evening for dinner, to discuss a song for the film project, "Going My Way." During the meal, one of the children began complaining about how he didn’t want to go to school the next day. The singer turned to his son and said to him, "If you don’t go to school, you might grow up to be a mule." Van Heusen thought this clever rebuke would make a good song for the film. He pictured Crosby, who played a priest, talking to a group of children acting much the same way as his own child had acted that night. Van Heusen took the idea to his partner, lyricist Burke, who approved. They wrote the song.

Santa: Here’s my Christmas wish

Dear Santa: It’s been a long time since I’ve asked you for anything. I hope you can come through for me.

All I want for Christmas is a president I can respect. One who has a modicum of compassion for the suffering people of the world. One who won’t insult and alienate our friends and allies, while he defends and coddles brutal dictators. One who realizes that greatness requires moral clarity and courage — not just economic and military might. One who doesn’t live in denial of climate change and has the will to act. One who isn’t a braggart who embarrasses himself on the world stage. One who doesn’t believe he is above the law. One who aspires to awaken our better selves, rather than tries to drag us into the sordid swamp of our most primal instincts.

I’m not asking for a saint, Santa, just a president who isn’t possessed by Machiavellian ambitions. One who has some semblance of a moral backbone, and maybe a tiny glimmer of simple human decency. Is that too much?

I know you’re not a miracle worker, if you can’t pull this off, I understand. Thanks for listening though, and Merry Christmas.

Ferguson points ‘not well taken’

Response to AG Ferguson. Your points are not well taken, very childish. You admitted threatening Mrs. Stutzman with wrongdoing and/or penalties unless she complied with your interpretation of the law. The low court costs are so generous of you. Your diatribe does not mitigate the fact of the tremendous hostility toward Arlene's Flowers. Where is Mrs. Stutzman’s First Amendment rights in this? Unlike the Seattle coffee shop, she did not kick them out of the shop and did not refuse to sell them flowers. Only became an issue when they wanted her to coordinate the “wedding” flowers. As a matter of conscience and Christian belief, she refused. Mr. Ferguson, I wonder how you feel it legal to coerce a business into providing a service that goes against someone’s sincerely held religious beliefs. I hope (and pray) the SCOTUS overturns this Washington State Supreme Court decision. One day soon the SCOTUS will dump your left-wing beliefs returning us to the morals this country was first established with.