Your Letters: Values Of The Right; Jim And Sarah Brady

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, host:

Time now for your letters.

(Soundbite of typing)

(Soundbite of music)

Last week we spoke with Republican Congressman Steve King of Iowa, who hosted the Conservative Principles Conference in Des Moines. Congressman King disagreed with the call of Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana for Republicans to have a truce on social issues. Mr. King said...

Representative STEVE KING (Republican, Iowa): And I'm not going to stop defending marriage. I'm not going to watch our civilization erode around us while we turn our exclusive focus on economic issues. Let's develop ourselves and improve ourselves socially, at the same time we're doing so economically.

SIMON: Susan Fox from Fraser, Michigan writes: Congressman King neglected to say how in this culture, where people have been affected by lower salaries or no jobs at all, families are to follow conservative tenets when they're out of work or both parents are forced to work in two or three low-paying jobs just to make ends meet.

Many responses to our conversation last week with Jim and Sarah Brady on the 30th anniversary of the day Mr. Brady, who was President Reagan's press secretary, was shot in the attempt on the president's life.

Will Bollard(ph) from Little Rock, Arkansas write: It was fascinating to hear Sarah Brady speak with pride that they had raised a liberal son and then go on to say that they're no longer Republicans. Kudos for not asking any follow-up questions on their political beliefs. The story provided an intimate portrayal of how the family had struggled to overcome Mr. Brady's injury, and delving into politics would only have taken away what the Brady's have accomplished.

And Jessica Rigby of San Francisco says on Twitter: Love the Bradys. Is their son single?

David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, wrote to object to my saying that, of course, the American Jewish Committee voiced objections to the film "Miral," directed by Julian Schnabel. We talked to the filmmaker on last week's program.

Mr. Harris writes: AJC does not make a habit of taking a position on films. In this case we objected to the decision of the U.N. General Assembly president to use the hall to premiere the film. As it turns out, many critics have also found the film to be problematic. Was it as obvious that these journalists would also have objections to the film?

Several listeners corrected my Yiddish for terming what's usually called the March Madness of the NCAA basketball tourney as March Meshuganas. David Steinberg, a mentsh from Albuquerque, says you should've used the non-form mishegas and not the adjective meshugana. I joined you and Tom Goldman in laughing out loud. Keep up the good work.

Well, we welcome your comments. Go to NPR.org, click on the contact us link. You can also post a comment on Facebook or Twitter @NPRWeekend. You can send me a tweet directly @NPRScottSimon.

(Soundbite of music)

This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.