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Letters from our readers

On “British government moves to censor media coverage of spying operations

I noticed that the big, blue-highlighted section containing news about Edward Snowden’s revelations suddenly vanished from the Guardian ’s web site front page and were replaced with articles about actor James Gandolfini’s death. Much as I liked Gandolfini, I don’t believe any other actor’s death would merit the blue section like this (although it would still be a big story). It seemed to me to be an obvious replacement for the Snowden material, and incidentally not complimentary to Gandolfini for his death to be used as a cover for censorship.

Carolyn
California, USA
21 June 2013

On “The WSWS speaks to Julius and Ethel Rosenberg’s son

This is really an epoch-making interview. It brings out past imperialist horror to impact positively on the present international working class, which is made by the current war-mongering imperialism to sustain and endure something similar to incessant electric shocks before the demise.

Thank you, Fred, for your unsurpassable acumen to serve humanity today.

This reader is 68. Born to a family of 7 children. A family that had only our father’s labour power for sustenance. I have no doubts that the US imperialism must have handed over death and prison terms to a myriad of people in my boat over the period of its ruthless reproduction. I presume the US claims the highest number of prisoners when compared with the rest of the nation states on our planet. If that is the case, my former point is substantiated.

Hats off to Robert Meeropol. Your service to the troubled child population is admirable. We should unite under the banner of the SEP to battle the case against tormented children. The international working class, in my view, is more than capable of wiping out the necessity for espionage and war. The current war on terror created by imperialists should be wiped out by the socialist revolution that will usher in a system of planning to cater to human needs.

IVE
Sri Lanka
22 June 2013

On “Actor James Gandolfini, lead actor in The Sopranos, dies at 51

This is a very fine and illuminating obituary. I’m currently working my way through Season 3 of The Sopranos, the lack of Summer School due to financial cutbacks allowing me to catch up with it as it did for The Wire two years ago. Gandolfini was a fine actor whose technique dissolved the boundaries between film and television performance. He was also very good as the tormented gangster in Killing Them Softly, a film whose time period was appropriately changed from the 1970s to the beginning of Obama’s election campaign in 2008. The historical background elements are disturbing, especially in the scenes showing the sudden eruption of violence and the disposal of erring gangster bodies, one of which in the penultimate episode of Season 2, resembles the torture porn films of Eli Roth meets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remakes than anything else. Again, another stimulating obituary.

Tony W
21 June 2013

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Dear Mr. Walsh,

I agree. The Sopranos attempted to put a square peg in a round hole. Gangsters are…gangsters.

I don’t think you have seen John Turturro’s Romance and Cigarettes? The best performance/film that I’ve seen James Gandolfini in. And a piece that confirms—by showing the potential opposite—the waste of talent in the industry of film-making.

Desmond
22 June 2013

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