Listener Letters
JANUARY 27, 2007 Listen to this Story
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Every week we receive a number of emails and phone calls with comments about our past show and suggestions for stories, but no segment gets people to their keyboards faster than our weekly parlor game "Good News, Bad News, No News," where we divide the week's news into categories. We hear some of our listener's reactions.
Notes from Producer Brendan Newnam
When we read Charlie's email on Monday morning we were all tickled and thought talking to him would be a fun coda to last week's show. But after Bill called him up and spoke with him we were moved by his empathy. Many people would have been furious after being so blatantly discriminated against, but instead of hiring an attorney, Charles went home and told his wife that he was going to get a master's degree so that he "would be at a level where my name didn't matter."
After receiving his master's Charlie went on to be a guidance counselor for veterans and then for a special education students. We asked him if the kids used to make fun of his name and he said that they did, but only after they saw other teachers giving him the Nazi salute. The social studies teachers were the worst offenders.
We also asked Charles if he knew for a fact that he wasn't related to Heinrich Himmler. He said that his family has been here since the 1800's, but he couldn't be a 100 percent sure. Once while researching the family tree, Charles's brother visited a man who was also named Himmler. At one point during the visit, while the man was out of the room, his wife whispered that their last name wasn't really Himmler. The man had just adopted the name as an adult. Yikes.
Then... Imagine for a moment that to run for president you didn't need loads of money and a squeaky clean personal life. Who from your life do you think would make a great president? Do you know a teacher or a principal who has all of the answers? A yoga instructor or barber with a knack for diplomacy? Weekend America wants to learn about those under-the-radar Americans who have what it takes to be President.
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- Music Bridge:
- Dog Trot
- Artist: Moondog
- CD: The Viking of Sixth Avenue
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