Lone Ranger

To the Editor:

Paul Loeb's column, "Lone Ranger" (February 26th issue), makes some silly and misguided arguments. Loeb claims that Ralph Nader's "core case in announcing his 2004 presidential candidacy" is his right to run. Nader has been forced to justify his decision following demands by a number of politicians and pundits that he stay
out.

While one might easily gauge Nader's zealous response to those who demand "Ralph, don't run" an overreaction, it is laughable for a serious observer to suggest it is the foundation for his run.Nader's platform is (not surprisingly) very similar to his platform of four years ago, with the exception that now he bears the additional burden of explaining why he is not personally responsible for all of the ills he seeks to overcome. It includes, as Loeb hints, his mission to remind Americans that we are bound together by our citizenship and our consumerism. But Loeb's analogy is strained when he claims Nader's run now depends upon "fixating on his own absolute right to do whatever he chooses." Nader's activist causes have always involved his leadership and began with a small group of supporters, including all of his victories. He has gone and will go it alone to defend what he believes is the common good, regardless of what popular opinion says. To encourage a man of Nader's experience to do anything different is a pointless and wrong-headed exercise.

Can Loeb really believe that a man so ostracized from the political mainstream in 2000 that he was barred physically even from attending presidential debates as an audience member ought to be deterred because he seems unwanted?

As to Loeb's claim that Nader can raise awareness for issues he supports in arenas outside the presidential race, Loeb clearly hasn't been noticing the attention he and his fellow media pundits are paying to Nader's candidacy in the past week.

It would be nice to see as many stories focusing on other candidates so driven by their egos that they are willing to modify "beliefs" or misconstrue voting records for short-term political popularity.

Mark Zipkin
Somerville, New Jersey