A big deal over a big house

Dear Editor:Regarding Paul Andersen’s column of July 16 (“Friedman’s green world”), it is interesting to note that, had the Friedman supporters actually read the column, they would have noticed that just under the surface, Andersen was saying that people such as Friedman and Gore need to be exposed to a “bullshit” detector so the rest of us can reasonably weigh the prolificacy of their rants.Don’t you know, letters to the editor have responded, bad-mouthing Andersen and extolling the virtues of Thomas Friedman, all the while quite oblivious to the debilitating exposure Friedman has faced from the incredibly astute pen of Andersen. Andersen’s column wasn’t about how the house was heated or how many trees and animals the Friedmans’ “yard” supports. It was about conspicuous consumption and the absolutely indefensible attitude that allows some, such as the Friedmans and Gores, to live in huge houses that circumvent all definitions of common sense.So, it doesn’t matter how many Pulitzers Friedman has won – Andersen has the long lead in the race for credibility.Tony VagneurCarbondale